


Red Sky at Morning

by sugasyeezys



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Hurt/Comfort, Love Triangles, M/M, More tags to be added, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romance, Slow Burn, Underage Drinking, but like not in a cute way, more background characters to be added, suga has a stalker, suga's hot shit but also a dumbass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26520214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugasyeezys/pseuds/sugasyeezys
Summary: For a moment, he stood and watched the one person in the gym that wasn’t watching him. A Karasuno third year that he vaguely remembered seeing in tournaments. Oikawa can’t say he remembers him because he had amazing skills (nobody at Karasuno had amazing skills, if you’re asking Oikawa) – in truth, Oikawa only remembered him because he was damn pretty. His silver hair sat like a messy halo around his beaming, enthusiastic face. Honestly, if he turned Oikawa’s way, he’d probably swoon. Except he didn’t even look at Oikawa. Instead of being angelic, that face was just another thing irritating him.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 121
Kudos: 195





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hellooooo to my fellow Oisuga (and Daisuga) shippers! There is an offensive lack of good Oisuga work on here, so I'm going to fill the void in my heart with this fic. If it wasn't clear from the description, this will have a love triangle between Daichi, Suga, and Oikawa, with Suga being the dumbass in the middle. I'm also a sucker for angst, so that'll be woven in.
> 
> That said about angst - while I really like it, I don't love the weak portrayal of Suga in a lot of fics. Do I read them and love them as a guilty pleasure? Hell yeah. Will Suga be angsty at times in this fic? Oh baby you know it. Buuuut I do want to portray Suga as a character that has both a tough and soft side. I'm going to try and make the sides complement each other, so let me know if you have any thoughts about how he's coming off. The simp side comes on a little strong in this first chapter, but I'm hoping to balance it out throughout the story.
> 
> Please leave comments! This is my first fic. So far I've really enjoyed writing it, but I have absolutely zero experience with this sort of thing (aside from spending like, wayyy too much time reading fanfiction). If anyone's interested in being a proofreader (is that what beta means?) please reach out! Thanks, I hope you enjoy!

Sugawara Koushi has never been very good at math.

He’s more of a poet, or a lyricist. He finds math to be cold, harsh, and unfeeling – sure, math is everywhere in nature and in art and blah blah blah, but that doesn’t change the fact that it has no emotion, no soul. Suga’s strengths lie within his connection to his spirit and the spirits of his friends. His unity with others shines through in the way he plays volleyball – always in touch with the emotions of everyone on the court. He brings the team together by tapping into each players’ individual energy.

And yet.

No matter how much he dislikes math, he is able to recognize the fundamental truth it presents. In volleyball, there are six players on the court. When the genius first year Kageyama came to Karasuno, the arithmetic exposed a harsh reality.

6 + 1 = 7. There can only be one official setter.

Sugawara Koushi is loyal to a fault.

He will do anything to make his friends and the people he cares about happy. He spent two years working to become a member of the starting lineup, but he knows what is in the best interest of the team. He loves volleyball, but it’s his friends’ dream to go to nationals. He makes the sacrifice he knows he needs to.

7 - 1 = 6.

Math isn’t Suga’s favorite, but that much he can figure out.

The thought of the position he’s giving up sticks in the back of his head during practices, but he can usually keep it subdued. When he sees his friends constantly training to get better, clinging to their dream, he knows that he couldn’t stand in their way. Still, the thought that his presence on the court is essentially seen as a detriment stings. He doesn’t resent his team, he thinks, but rather he resents himself. When he watches Hinata and Kageyama get to school early and leave long after the end of official practice, he can’t help but wonder if he could have kept his position if he had worked as hard. He usually tries to not think about it.

By the time Karasuno was getting ready to play in their practice match against Aoba Johsai, Suga had could already see the writing on the wall. The opposing powerhouse school agreed to play Karasuno, but only if Kageyama was playing the whole game. It wasn’t official yet, but Suga knew he’d lost his spot before he’d even gotten the chance to enjoy it. Regardless, he would push through and be as supportive as possible. He would do what was best for the team.

That didn’t mean he was giving up, either. Suga was going to watch every match with a critical eye and work as hard as he could in practice. This wasn’t the end. No, far from it – he might not end up being the team’s official setter, but he would be damned if he wasn’t going to try his hardest to get back on the court.

Still, he feels somewhat hollow when he’s watching the practice match entirely from the sidelines. He was so close to the court, but still not on it – the image is unpleasantly similar to that of every game from the previous two years. Things were supposed to change for him. The fact that things didn’t definitely keeps him up at night, but he smiles when he watches his best friend, Daichi, hit a perfect spike.

Daichi, who had been by his side over the last two years, watching him become the best setter he could be. And Daichi, who had spent an hour arguing with Suga over the phone when he told him that he was going to give his position up for this game. (And then another hour yelling at him after he actually DID give it up.) He was there for every important moment in high school – they bonded over volleyball at first, but later on found themselves in the same difficult classes. Daichi would walk Suga to his bus stop after practice every night, and they would complain about this teacher or that obnoxious student. Eventually, they became best friends and would talk about things outside of volleyball and school. He was the only person Suga trusted completely, which is why he would do anything for him – even give up on his dream.

“Nice hit Daichi!” Suga calls from the sidelines. The ball had landed right on the back of the far boundary, perfectly out of reach. ‘Just like Daichi,’ Suga thinks bitterly. Perfectly ungettable.

His sour thought doesn’t last long, because Daichi hears his cheering – he flashes the brightest grin and gives Suga a thumbs-up. Despite being swarmed by his rowdy teammates on the court, Daichi still made sure to pay mind to him. Suga feels his heart flutter, and his cheeks heat up (if only a little bit.). After basking in that feeling for a split second, Suga flashes his own grin and lets out a tiny laugh. Still watching Daichi, he can almost make out the tiniest hint of a blush rising to the captain’s cheeks.

‘What was that?’ Suga thinks to himself. Daichi’s probably just flushed from playing volleyball against one of the best teams in the prefecture, Suga reminds himself. No chance it was because of him.

Suga really needs to reel thoughts like that in. Falling for your straight best friend is soo not it.

Still, his eyes always find their way back to Daichi throughout the rest of the match. He’s so fixated on his friend that he doesn’t even notice when the king of Aoba Johsai walks through the door.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oikawa had pretty low expectations for the practice match with Karasuno. Sure, he wasn’t going to be there for most of it, but he didn’t really mind. There really shouldn’t have been anything too exciting going on that day, anyway. If anything, Karasuno’s quality of play was so low that they shouldn’t even be on the same court. Why they were was a bit of a mystery to him.

That mystery was solved soon after he sauntered into the gym. His team was down, and the reason was obvious. His protégé stood on the opposite side of the gym, _cooperating_ with his team. How irritating.

As he prepared to join the match, his irritation only grew. Not to sound like an asshole, but Oikawa was used to commanding the attention of the court. Like, his fan club literally screamed when he walked through the gym doors. Everyone turned to look at him. Well, _almost_ everyone.

For a moment, he stood and watched the one person in the gym that _wasn’t_ watching him. A Karasuno third year that he vaguely remembered seeing in tournaments. Oikawa can’t say he remembers him because he had amazing skills (nobody at Karasuno had amazing skills, if you’re asking Oikawa) – in truth, Oikawa only remembered him because he was _damn_ pretty. His silver hair sat like a messy halo around his beaming, enthusiastic face. Honestly, if he turned Oikawa’s way, he’d probably swoon. Except he _didn’t even look_ at Oikawa. Instead of being angelic, that face was just another thing irritating him.

Despite his best efforts, Oikawa couldn’t turn the game around with what little time was left. When the match ended, he watched Karasuno absolutely _lose their shit._ They clearly weren’t expecting to win, either. Angel-face ran and hugged who Oikawa assumed was their beefcake captain. Oikawa snapped his face away from the scene. Everything about it was so _irritating._

Even though he turned away from the opposite team’s victory huddle, he still heard the silver-haired player speaking words of encouragement. _‘How refreshing,’_ Oikawa thought.

Oikawa maneuvered over to his childhood friend.

“Iwa-chaaan, any idea who the silver-haired benchwarmer is?” Oikawa asked, trying to mask his foul mood with an upbeat tone.

“I think that’s Karasuno’s old setter. He’s a third-year that was supposed to start, but looks like that first-year stole his spot. I took a look at the roster before the match, I think his name is Sugawara. Wouldn’t want to be him.”

“Wow! Yikes! Glad that won’t happen to ~me~!” Oikawa sings – for a second, he wonders if perhaps it _would have_ happened to him, had Kageyama gone to Aoba Johsai instead of Karasuno. He suffers a quick middle school flashback, but he pushes it away.

“Whatever, asshole. Let’s go – I wanna get ramen with Makki and Matsun, and I’m not leaving you here to bully benchwarmer setters.”

“Please, I would _never_ ,” Oikawa retorts. He would. He had been brainstorming ways to go talk to the other setter, with most methods including a backhanded compliment to start. Oikawa didn’t _necessarily_ want to be mean, but this Sugawara character was clearly the second-most attractive person in the gym (second, obviously, to Oikawa himself.) He didn’t want to let him walk around with all of that confidence (and power.) Regardless, Iwaizumi’s threat deters him from approaching the pretty face across the gym. He moves to gather his things when he locks eyes with the other setter for the first time.

Oikawa freezes for a moment, waiting to see what the other setter would do. He feels the sudden fluttering of butterflies in his stomach, almost thinking he was going to be approached. Instead, the other setter just maintains eye contact (for what _really_ seemed like a little too long) before giving a small nod and turning back to his team. Oikawa returns the gesture and immediately looks down at his bag to hide his flushing cheeks. He’s almost glad the other setter didn’t approach him – he had a feeling that he would get flustered, and Oikawa does _not_ get flustered. The whole interaction really rubbed him the wrong way – Oikawa definitely wasn’t used to having the script flipped on him.

As he follows Iwaizumi out of the gym, he gets the sensation that he’s being watched. Oikawa has half a mind to turn around and see if anyone’s looking, but his pride stops him. Besides, someone’s always looking.

‘Suga-chan, _Mr. Refreshing,_ I promise Aoba Johsai will _destroy_ Karasuno,’ Oikawa plots. Sugawara would have to look Oikawa in the eye when he led his team to victory. Next time, Oikawa would have the upper hand. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this chapter's coming to you early because i have ~work~ tomorrow and also it was literally so fun to write! It's a long one, coming in at like 4k words (lmao tbt when I said chapters were gonna be 2k) so enjoy a little extra! For the future, expect 2k words but this might happen again where I just vibe with adding detail and we end up with all this extra. Anyway, this chapter adds some Daichi POV which I don't think was included in the last chapter. This chapter shows a nice slice of life outside of volleyball, which I really enjoyed writing. I'm hoping to include more chapters like this! Let me know what you think :)
> 
> Also, shoutout to everyone who commented or left kudos on my first chapter! I can't emphasize how much it means to me to see that people enjoyed something I wrote. Please keep commenting, I love hearing your thoughts and predictions! And keep dropping kudos, it gives me that good good ~validation~
> 
> That's enough from me, let's get into the chapter!

“Suga!” Daichi caught up to his friend as they made their way to the school bus.

“Hm?” Suga took out one of his headphones, looking over to Daichi. “What’s up?”

“I’m meeting up with Asahi and Noya for a night out, I’m going to try and get them to join the team again. Wanna come? I could use your help.” Daichi looked at him hopefully as he explained his plan. The glint in his eyes was almost mischievous – Suga instinctually smiled.

A night out with Daichi, Asahi, and Noya would be exactly what he needed, plus he was still riding a high from the excitement of the game. He had been pretty stressed lately and hey, he’s always down to spend a little more time with his best friend.

“Hell yeah, I’m definitely coming,” Suga says with a grin, playfully knocking into Daichi’s shoulder. “What time?”

“8:00, we’re meeting at the BBQ place Asahi likes so much. It’s gonna be fun!” Daichi accents the last word with a firm pat on Suga’s back.

Suga starts walking towards the bus a little bit faster, now thinking about the big night they have planned. He was so consumed by his thoughts that barely noticed how Daichi’s hand lingered on his back a little longer than it should have.

* * *

As Suga was getting ready, he thought about how badly he needed this night out. He’d had a hell of a day – getting benched for their first practice game, dealing with third year academics, alongside his mess of a love life – ‘Yeah,’ he thought to himself, ‘I need this.’

The nights were getting cooler, so Suga wore a white long-sleeved button-down and paired it with some dark trousers. After fussing over what would tie the outfit together, he settled on boat shoes. He decided that he looked a little too posh for a night out, electing to roll up his sleeves in an effort to make his outfit look a little more casual. The action revealed how toned the muscles in his forearms were. He reached his arm out and rolled his hand slowly in a circle, making different muscles expand and contract. ‘If setting didn’t get me a starting position on the team, at least I got some pretty nice muscle definition out of it,’ he muses.

Looking up into his mirror, Suga gives a small, genuine smile to himself. He likes the way he looks – his hair is a little fluffy from airdrying, but he looks put together. He knows he’s just going out for a boy’s night, but part of him wonders if he might meet someone who would get his mind off of a certain volleyball captain. Well – while it’s _totally not_ the point of the outing, looking good never hurts. Besides, he hasn’t seen Noya or Asahi for weeks, so he might as well be presentable. Asahi would definitely be pulling up in a cardigan over a dress shirt, and Suga didn’t want to be upstaged _too_ much.

Breaking himself out of his cloud of thought, Suga started his walk to the bus station. Tonight was going to be _fun._

Suga arrived in front of the restaurant at 8:00 sharp. He usually tended to show up about five minutes late (which is _fashionably late,_ mind you), but he knows how much Daichi values punctuality, so he makes an effort to get there on time. Still – he was prepared to make an excuse about how there was an issue with the bus (someone _was_ kind of looking at him weird!) but he knew that would just make Daichi complain about Suga not letting him pick him up. Suga doesn’t love making people go out of the way for him – he knows not accepting a ride is a bit silly, but it’s just one of his things.

Shaking off any worries about being late, Suga spots his two larger friends already waiting outside of the restaurant. He locks eyes with Asahi, and the taller man’s face lights up.

“Suga!!!” Asahi wraps him so tightly in a hug that Suga’s feet are lifted completely off of the ground.

“Woah! Asahi! How have you been man? I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you too!” Asahi put Suga solidly back on the ground. It almost seems like he’s ready to continue when there’s an electric shift in the atmosphere.

“SUGAWARAAAAAAAAAA!!!” At the undeniable sound of his friend’s voice, Suga whips his head around.

“NOYAAAAA!!” He calls back, matching his friend’s energy.

In an instant, Noya is charging towards Suga. Suga stands, determined and ready, waiting for the libero to get close. At the very moment they’re about to collide, Suga grabs underneath Noya’s arms and lifts him up above his head. Noya raises his legs and stretches his arms out wide, creating the image of a crow in the middle of its flight. The boys beam into each other’s faces, looking like a couple of amateur ice skaters that were practicing their tricks on land.

After holding Noya in the air for a second, Suga plants him back on the ground.

“Where have you been, you idiot? I haven’t seen you for weeks!” Suga jabs, tussling Noya’s hair.

“Hey! Why not something like ‘I missed you so much Noya! You’re one of my best friends, waaah!’ Why don’t you try that?”

“Oh, sorry, let me try again,” Suga clears his throat and summons the most pathetic expression he can muster. “Oh Noya, where have you been? I’ve missed you so much, I can barely find the motivation to keep on living...sike, idiot!” Suga starts to run away from Noya, know his provocation would incite a chase.

“Hey! Knock it off you two, our table’s ready!” Daichi shouts. Almost as an afterthought, he follows with “You two better behave when we’re in there!”

While Daichi was trying to reprimand them, Suga could see the amused glint in his eye. Despite the fact that his friend was obviously entertained with his and Noya’s antics, Suga decided to drop it. Plus, the captain voice miiiiight have made a shiver run down his spine. A tiny one. (Maybe it wasn’t so tiny, whatever. Shut up.)

* * *

After entering the restaurant, the group was seated at a roomy booth that was tucked beneath a set of high windows. The day’s last drops of sunlight dribbled into the space, painting everything in a soft red glow. Daichi has requested this spot in particular, knowing it was Asahi’s favorite. It would take everything he had to convince his friend to rejoin the volleyball club, so he was pulling out all of the stops.

The hostess turned the grill on once they were settled in, and Daichi could feel the heat begin to radiate off of it. He sat closest to the window, next to Asahi. Noya was across from Daichi, emanating chaotic energy – Suga was seated next to him, completely feeding into it.

Daichi had known Suga long enough to realize that he would act mature in certain contexts where it was expected (like in practice or class), but his wild streak usually peeked out when he was having fun with his friends. It usually amused Daichi; people generally look at his friend and assume he’s straight-edge due to his innocent appearance, but then are shocked when they see him in a more casual setting. As much as Daichi liked to see his friend let loose (Suga really did work too hard sometimes), sometimes he finds his friend’s behaviors a little bit concerning.

“Ok Suga – I’m gonna go so fucking hard tonight, you in?” Noya said, wriggling around in his seat. Daichi soon realized his junior was pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, providing an explanation for his contortion act.

It took Daichi a moment to understand what Noya was saying, but he was stuck between shock, amusement, and irritation when he recognized the object in Noya’s hand. He had taken out a fake ID, with the forged credentials claiming that he was from Tokyo, and 20.

“Noya, what is that! And what do you mean, it’s not like Suga –“ Daichi got cut off by the friend in question. In the dim light, Daichi could see the glimmer of Suga’s teeth as a wicked grin painted his face.

“Oh _definitely.”_ Suga emphasized the last word by making a show of taking his own card out of his wallet. His ID looked similar to Noya’s, suggesting they got it from the same place.

“Wha-What?” Daichi sputtered – he was trying to form a more coherent question but was stunned into a stupor. He knew Suga was a little crazy at times, but he never did anything _illegal!_ He had sort of expected this behavior from Noya, but seeing Suga join in was definitely an unexpected turn of events. Daichi didn’t even know how Suga would get his hands on something like that. Seeming to read his mind, Suga answered his unspoken question.

“We got them from Tanaka’s sister over break,” Suga said shamelessly. “She got us a really good deal!”

Daichi made a mental note to tell Tanaka to keep his sister away from the team. Daichi liked to see Suga have fun, but the thought of him being corrupted sparked a twinge of anger in his chest.

Despite being a bit displeased, Daichi decided to shake his frustration and concern for the time being. He would be talking to Suga about this later, but he didn’t want to ruin the night over it. Besides, he could tell how much enjoyment the offending members of the party were gleaning from his baffled expression, and he _really_ didn’t feel like giving them any more satisfaction. He composed himself as quickly as possible and let out a laugh.

* * *

Suga had known that his friends would have a reaction to his and Noya’s little reveal, but it had honestly turned out better than he had hoped. He was already on the brink of hysterics as he watched Daichi’s brain melt and Asahi’s mouth drop open, but the last straw was when Daichi finally laughed. That is, if you could even consider the sound that came out of his friends’ mouth a laugh – it was so mangled that it sounded more like a bark, or like he was going to throw up. Hearing that sound come out of Daichi’s mouth pushed Suga and Noya into a laughing fit that lasted at least a minute. If Suga had been standing up, he would have fallen to the floor laughing.

Suga couldn’t help but feel a little bit of satisfaction at Daichi’s response. Despite knowing Suga better than almost anyone, he can’t help but feel like Daichi doesn’t always trust him to make his own decisions. It’s the only thing they’ve ever gotten into a fight about – sometimes it’s little issues like speeding (and like, not even real speeding. Like going 35 in a 30 kind of speeding), and other times Daichi criticizes even more serious problems such as Suga’s choice of friends. While Daichi emphasizes that he’s coming from a place of concern, it really rubs Suga the wrong way. He’s more of a free spirit than most people usually think, and Daichi should know that better than anyone. Suga generally wants to please Daichi, but he had a little mental block on things like this – which is why he couldn’t help but laugh at his friend.

“Sorry, sorry – “ Suga was catching his breath after his laughing fit, his hand planted on Noya’s shoulder for support.

“It’s just, your face –“ He and Noya stifled another laugh, tears threatening to escape their eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Daichi said, rolling his eyes and finally wearing a genuine grin. “I’m assuming you guys were laughing at Asahi too – he looks like he’s seen a ghost!”

Suga and Noya took a second to look at Asahi, and after taking in his expression, they plunged back into hysterics. This time, Daichi was laughing too.

* * *

After the initial excitement, the evening settled into a very comfortable rhythm. They all had a lot to catch up on, and the conversation flowed so naturally that an outsider would think the four saw each other daily.

Each time the waiter came around, Suga and Noya both ordered themselves a fresh round of drinks. The first time they ordered, the waiter had turned to Asahi to ask him what he wanted to drink, without even asking for ID. He took on a panicked look, shaking his head and saying something about how he had to drive. Everyone else at the table bit their lips and hid their faces to stifle their laughter, but it rolled out of them as soon as the waiter walked out of earshot. Asahi let out a massive sigh, looking like he had just maneuvered his way out of a speeding ticket by lying to a cop. Afterwards, everyone would choose that as a highlight of the night – everyone but Asahi, who considered the experience mildly traumatizing. (Noya and Suga told him that his mature look was wasted on him, and he _completely_ agrees.)

By the time they had finished their food, Noya and Suga were medium-plastered. If 1 = not drunk and 10 = blacked out in an alley, they were sitting at a comfortable 6.5. Maybe a 7.

They decided to go for a walk after dinner – the night was still young, and they were in one of the more urban regions of the prefecture. Daichi learned that when Suga was drunk, he _did_ _not_ shut up. Not that Daichi minded hearing Suga talk. It was just a little hard to focus on what he was saying.

Suga was in front of the group, walking backwards so they could hear his voice (and also so they could see the emphatic gestures he was making to communicate the points that his addled brain couldn’t quite put into words.) Although the sun had set hours ago, the white streetlights and neon business signs cast an ethereal glow upon Suga’s figure, making him take on an almost supernatural (angelic?) effect. His hair reflected the blue and red gleam of a nearby shop’s open sign, and Daichi was captivated by the way the colors danced around his pretty face. Daichi thought about how Suga’s carefully curated appearance now looked a little more disheveled – that flowing hair was sticking up in spots, the way he was moving was _definitely_ more forced (honestly, Daichi was getting a little worried that Suga was going to fall over), and his face was flushed. Daichi couldn’t help but stare at that flushed face as Suga smiled – he could tell when his friend was faking a smile (something that Suga did a lot, and which Daichi _really_ hated.) Daichi also knew that Suga’s façade was pretty convincing to the untrained eye. The only reason he was able to pick out a fake smile from the real ones was because he had spent so much time watching his friend. For a moment, he thinks about the tiny bit of tension that works its way into the corners of Suga’s eyes when he’s pretending to be happy, but he pushes off the thought. Right now, he didn’t have to worry about that. Suga was happy to be here, with him (and Asahi and Noya.) He felt his heart swell a little bit as he watched Suga enjoy whatever he was going on about. 

“…Right Daichi?” Daichi’s breath hitched as he was pulled out of his trance.

“Oh, uh - sorry, what?” Daichi seriously hadn’t heard a single word Suga was saying until he spoke his name. He internally kicked himself, wondering if Suga noticed his staring.

“You weren’t listening, agh! Okay, quick run-down – I was thinking, when you die, your flesh and bones will decay and stuff in your casket, right? But what if you get plastic surgery? Then, when you die, your bones and stuff will decay but there’s just gonna be like a blob of plastic in your grave, for like, forever. _I_ was saying that I think that’s creepy and I don’t wanna get plastic surgery for that reason, but Noya said he wants to get a tiny plastic dinosaur planted in the meat of his ass so there’s a dinosaur in his grave in like four thousand years,” Suga stopped talking for a second to catch his breath, looking totally winded. After a second, he started up again.

“I was asking if you agreed with me; you wouldn’t get plastic surgery because it’s too weird to have that shit just sitting in your grave forever – “ Daichi barely had the chance to process the ridiculous question before Suga got cut off.

“Hey, Suga watch out!” Daichi called out his warning a second too late, and Suga knocked right into someone walking the other way.

* * *

Oikawa was in a position that he had been in many times before – Iwaizumi was reprimanding him for throwing out the waitress’s not-so-subtle note with her number on it. Oikawa didn’t think it was mean for him to throw it out, but he did kind of understand that he _probably_ should have waited until they left the restaurant to do so. He hangs his head in mock-shame, which is why he’s not prepared to react when someone walks right into him.

“Hey, watch where you’re – “ Oikawa cuts himself off when the offending stranger turns around. The face below his is frozen in shock, and Oikawa feels a hand press up against his chest – the gesture seems to be a form of apology, as well as a way for the hand’s owner to stabilize himself. Immediately, Oikawa recognizes Sugawara and smiles internally. The smaller man is so close that Oikawa can smell the alcohol on his breath – Oikawa feels a bit of surprise; it seems like the angelic Mr. Refreshing that he had seen earlier in the day had a wilder alter-ego. Oikawa had thought he was attractive before, but now he’s really _interested._

Oikawa was planning on crushing Mr. Refreshing and his team in volleyball, but in this moment, he had the opportunity to take Sugawara on in a head-to-head battle, too. Oikawa had overheard the last few words of Sugawara’s pre-collision conversation and launched into flirting mode.

After making a point of slowly looking the other setter up and down once, twice, three times, Oikawa let a smirk slowly crawl across his face. With their faces only about a foot apart, Oikawa locked eyes with the smaller man, looking down at him. Oikawa delivered his line in a voice much deeper than the one he had used after the initial impact.

“From what _I_ can see – “ Oikawa looked down at Suga’s shoes one more time, slowly climbing up his body to meet his eyes again. “ – you _definitely_ don’t need any plastic surgery.”

The voice Oikawa had used was barely above a growl, making it impossible for any of their friends to hear what he had said. Something about the words only reaching the two of them made the moment astronomically more intimate. He let his smirk widen a tiny bit more, partially for the effect that it would have on the person that he was leaning over, but he also couldn’t quite stop himself. He was a little bit proud of his delivery (especially given his condition earlier in the day after the silver-haired setter had merely _looked_ his way.) Oikawa was determined to keep his cool.

“I’m so sorry – wait wha-” Suga fumbled over his words. His cheeks were an adorable pink color when he had initially knocked into Oikawa, but the taller setter watched with satisfaction as his opponent’s face flooded with red and his eyes widened as processed what Oikawa had just said.

Suga’s hand was still firmly planted on Oikawa’s chest. The spot where he was touching was absolutely on fire – Oikawa felt the heat from that space spreading outwards and warming the surrounding parts of his body. He had half a mind to leave it there so he could have the chance to enjoy it, but he also was beginning to feel the effects of the other setter’s charm. While sizing Suga up so many times was a flirting power move, it forced Oikawa to see just how attractive Suga was. His outfit fit him perfectly, exposing sharp collarbones and tanned, strong arms. On top of what was explicitly shown, Suga’s physique left some things to the imagination. Oikawa felt his mouth dry up a little when he imagined six-pack abs beneath the unassuming button-down Suga was wearing. If he was going to consider this a victory, he had to make a little space between the shorter setter and himself.

Oikawa broke eye contact with Suga to pointedly look at the hand that remained planted on his chest. Through his flustered jumble of words, Suga was able to comprehend the meaning of the gaze.

“Oh! Uh, sorry. Sorry. Hey – I saw you today. You’re the setter for Aoba Johsai. You’re all from the team, aren’t you?” Suga quickly tugged his hand from Oikawa’s chest and took a step back, with the rest of the words tumbling out in an attempt to cover for his previous inability to speak.

Oikawa straightened himself a little bit before answering, making himself stand even taller over the other player.

“Correct! I take it you’re a third year at Karasuno? So sorry for your loss, by the way. Kageyama is a bit of a _monster_.” Oikawa’s tone took on a bit of condescension – it seemed pretty clear he had taken the upper hand in this interaction, and he wanted to put it to rest swiftly. He was ready for that line to knock him out, when the captain from earlier in the day finally caught up to where they were standing.

Before Suga got a chance to reply to Oikawa’s little jab, Daichi walked up right next to him. The stance he took was a little _too_ protective, Oikawa thought, almost putting his body in between Mr. Refreshing and Oikawa. It wasn’t like they had been about to physically fight – Oikawa internally grins at the fact that he was able to make this guy so jealous so quickly.

“Hey, is there a problem here?” The voice the captain uses sounds like it’s supposed to be intimidating, but at this point Oikawa has hit his rhythm. He’s going to keep going at this.

“What,” Oikawa says, with a slightly mocking tone. “Are you his boyfriend or something?” It was mostly a taunt, but Oikawa really did want to know.

The captain, who had the name Sawamura printed on his jacket, stared at him for a moment with his mouth open. Then, to his surprise, Sugawara chimes in with an echo of Oikawa’s taunt.

“Yeah Daichi, I can handle myself! You don’t have to worry about stuff like this, you’re not my ~ _boooyyyfriennnd~!”_ Sugawara sings out the last word and smiles, bumping into Sawamura’s shoulder. The captain turns his face to look at Suga, clearly a bit stunned, but in the next moment he takes the statement in stride. Oikawa notices that Suga definitely didn’t catch the awkwardness Sawamura gave off after he made his remark, probably due to the alcohol running through his system, but Oikawa certainly did. Regardless, what Oikawa gleaned from this is that Mr. Refreshing is completely and totally _single._

Suga then turned back to Oikawa, not forgetting about his jab.

“Yeah, Kageyama took my spot today. But you better believe you’ll see me on the court next time! I’m not giving up!” Sugawara was beaming again, reminding Oikawa about what exactly was so refreshing when he first saw him. Next to him, Sawamura was looking eager to leave.

“Yeah, Suga’s still our official setter, so watch out.” The captain was glaring daggers at Oikawa as he spoke. “Sorry we got in your way. Are we done here?”

“Not a problem. It was _refreshing._ ” Oikawa turned his eyes to Suga as he said the last word. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“Thank you, you too. We look forward to playing you again soon.” Daichi said nothing else and started to walk past the Aoba Johsai group. Suga waited as his eyes caught Oikawa’s.

The taller setter leaned in close to Suga’s ear as he moved forward, speaking in the same low voice as before.

“I look forward to seeing you again…,” Oikawa purred, leaving a loaded silence in the middle of his sentence, “…on the court.” Oikawa felt Sugawara freeze as Oikawa teased him with his last few words – they were dripping with a flirtatious aura that Oikawa had spent years mastering.

Oikawa heard Suga’s breath hitch. Oikawa didn’t wait to hear if Suga had any rebuttal, and coolly walked past the setter and the rest of his friends. Besides, he knew Mr. Refreshing had no comeback. He could sense that the smaller setter was still stuck dead in his tracks, trying and failing to process the whole interaction. Once Oikawa had passed all of the Karasuno players, he allowed a wicked smile to paint his face. He was _quite_ pleased with himself, and his mind was shouting one thing only.

‘ _Knockout.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm going to stick to my plan of definitely updating again by next Sunday (9/27), but hopefully I can get another update in for you guys a little sooner. I'll definitely be replying to comments, so feel free to ask for a status update! Until then, happy reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Suga stood for a moment, stunned. The words ‘ _What just_ happened _?’_ ran through his mind as his feet betrayed him, cementing themselves to the sidewalk. ‘ _Was he just….flirting with me? No,’_ Suga thought clearly, ‘ _Oikawa Tooru was_ definitely _flirting with me. No question.’_ Suga felt a chill run down his spine as he recalled the way Oikawa had dragged his eyes across his body. That memory was all too vivid – he was a little too drunk to remember something that clearly, and yet somehow the thought was soberingly clear. He managed to close his gaping mouth as Noya and Asahi caught up with him.

“Who were _they?”_ Noya said enigmatically. He bumped into Suga’s shoulder, knocking him out of his state of paralysis. Suga misses a beat but starts to walk in line with his friends.

“Those guys were all from Seijoh, we played them today. They’re kind of…a lot.”

‘ _They’re kind of a lot? Or_ Oikawa’s _kind of a lot?’_ Suga thought to himself as he tentatively answered Noya’s question. He was hoping Noya couldn’t hear any of the words they exchanged; he didn’t want to have to provide any answers about the interaction – at least not before he himself got the chance to analyze what had just occurred.

“You played guys like _that?_ That’s so _cool!_ They’re so _intense!”_ Noya’s eyes lit up as he thought about competing with the huge and menacing Seijoh players. He cast an expectant look over at Asahi, but his taller friend wasn’t reciprocating his excitement.

“They were definitely something,” Asahi cast an apprehensive glance at Suga that was layered with an ambiguous sort of suspicion. “That guy’s smirk was really obnoxious.” Suga could see something burning within Asahi’s eyes. That was the fire that Asahi carried with him during games – they hadn’t talked much about rejoining the team that night, but Suga smiled knowing that Asahi still had that fight in him. There was still hope that they would play volleyball together again.

* * *

The trio caught up to Daichi, who had pulled ahead after walking away from Oikawa. Daichi had taken a moment to compose himself, trying to let go of the frustration that had built up during the encounter. He couldn’t place what exactly had frustrated him so much about the interaction – he just knew that he _really_ didn’t like Oikawa.

He replayed the memory of Oikawa’s shameless flirting with Suga – Daichi couldn’t hear what the other captain was saying, but he could tell from the way he was standing and sizing him up that he was _definitely_ flirting with his best friend. ‘ _I mean come on, Suga’s not even_ gay _. The nerve you’ve gotta have…’_ Daichi let the thought trail off as he felt his face turn pink at his next flashback.

‘ _Are you his boyfriend or something?’_ Tch. What a douche – for one, he was just trying to be helpful. Daichi knew he sometimes inserted himself where he wasn’t needed, but he wasn’t going to let his friend get trampled (or non-consensually eye-fucked) without trying to help. And it’s not weird for _friends_ to back their _friends_ up! ‘ _Totally not a boyfriend thing,’_ Daichi convinced himself, ‘ _I was just trying to help.’_

Also, it was okay for Suga to taunt him because they’re _best friends_ , but Oikawa’s gaze and jab were dripping with malintent. Daichi had been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt before, but Oikawa had proved to him that he really was just a jerk. He wasn’t sure exactly what had made Seijoh’s setter harbor such disdain for him, but there was genuine dislike in the way he looked at Daichi. When Oikawa’s eyes moved from Suga to Daichi, it was like he had gone from looking at an angel to looking at a _bug_. And he didn’t even try to hide it! ‘ _The audacity!’_ Daichi internally fumed. ‘ _I’ll show him who’s the bug next time we’re on the court.’_ Daichi thought. ‘ _I’ll kick him off so fast, he won’t get the_ chance _to talk to Suga,’_ a little voice in the back of his head tacked on.

“Ugh! Daichi! I’m tired.” Suga slung his arm around Daichi’s shoulders as he complained, putting almost all of his weight on him. Suga slumped his head against Daichi’s arm and closed his eyes as he took sluggish steps forward. Daichi looked down at his friend – the same Suga that had just been walking backwards and yelling was now just short of falling asleep standing up. Daichi couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s ridiculous behavior. Plus, Suga’s half-asleep face was super cute.

“Yeah, so am I. I didn’t realize how late it got!” Asahi accentuated his comment with a yawn that he tried (and failed) to stifle. Daichi checked the time on his watch – it read 12:15 a.m. – it really had been a long time. They had spent longer than anticipated in the restaurant, and then longer yet walking around. They had taken a wide loop and were almost back to where they had started.

“Asahi, drive me home! I live pretty close and I’ll buy you a meat bun after school on Monday,” Noya bargained.

“I was going to drive you home for free, but I’ll take you up on that,” Asahi quipped.

“Hey! Wait! I take it back!”

“Too late. Make sure it’s fresh, meat buns are always better when they’re just out of the oven.” Asahi cast a teasing grin down at Noya, who had crossed his arms in contempt.

“Whatever, fine. But only because I know I’m gonna want one too.” Noya closed his eyes and looked like he was imagining eating a fresh meat bun, as if they hadn’t just eaten tons of BBQ. Daichi laughed at Noya’s dreamlike expression and seemingly bottomless stomach.

Daichi patted Suga’s head, ruffling his hair a little bit.

“I’m gonna give you a ride home too, which means you owe me a meat bun.” Daichi felt the expected rustling from Suga – he knew his friend hated accepting rides, but he was in _no_ condition to be riding the bus. Daichi laughed a little bit at the idea of Suga falling asleep and riding the bus to Tokyo or something insane, but he had enough of a heart to not let that happen.

“Nooo, it’s fine! I can take the bus. I have my pass and everything.” Suga lifted his head and fumbled with his wallet, trying to find his bus pass. He triumphantly pulled out a rectangular card and shoved it in Daichi’s face.

“That’s your school ID, _dumbass,_ ” Daichi teased, “I’m giving you a ride home. Deal with it.” He smiled as Suga wordlessly relented, electing to put his head back on Daichi’s shoulder with a little sigh of defeat.

The group settled into contented silence for the remainder of their walk, with Suga still clinging to Daichi. Daichi was used to this sort of closeness with his friend on occasion, but Suga’s touchiness seemed to be amplified by his night of drinking. Daichi wasn’t thrilled that his friend had broken the law to have a little fun, but in that moment he was just a bit grateful for the alcohol running through his friend’s system.

* * *

Suga felt himself sobering up as they approached Daichi and Asahi’s cars. He picked himself off of his friends’ shoulder and stretched his arms above his head, feeling as though he had just woken up from a nap.

“I’m _exhausted_ ,” Asahi said, “but this was fun. We should do this again soon.”

“We _could_ hang out more if you, y’know, came to practice,” Suga teased, egging his friend to rejoin the team. Daichi smiled at Suga, clearly grateful for Suga’s attempt to get Asahi back.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll think about it,” Asahi said sheepishly. Suga deflated a little at the way Asahi avoided the confrontation, but he definitely wasn’t going to give up on him.

“Good, you do that. We should head out, we have study group tomorrow morning,” Daichi said. Suga’s face paled at the thought of getting up early the next day.

“Ew,” Noya made a face at Daichi’s mention of studying, “I’ll be _sleeping_!” Noya mocked.

“Whatever jerk,” Suga said, making a face at Noya. “See you guys soon?” Suga asked the question hopefully. He really did want to see his friends more.

“Definitely,” Noya said with a grin. “Hey Asahi, I’m gonna drive home!”

“Wha-” Asahi didn’t get the chance to finish his thought, as Noya stole his car keys out of his hands. The libero took off in the direction of Asahi’s car, laughing as Asahi started to run after him.

“Ugh! Okay, see you later Suga, Daichi! Hey – Noya, come back here! You don’t have a license! And you’re _drunk!_ ” Suga and Daichi laughed as they waved at their friends.

“You’re not going to steal my keys, are you?” Daichi lightly punched Suga on the shoulder, grinning.

“Ugh, _no way._ I’m gonna sleep.” Suga groaned. Maybe he would have joked with Daichi earlier in the night, but the events of the evening had drained him of his energy.

* * *

For the first half of the ride, the friends sat in relative silence. Only the car spoke, quietly playing tunes from a rock station and producing a low hum from the engine. The peacefulness of the night pulled Suga just to the brink of sleep – he wasn’t quite there, and he was fighting to stay conscious. He felt bad enough that Daichi needed to give him a ride, he didn’t want to make his friend drag him into his house or something. Suga chose to lay back into his seat and keep his eyes just barely open, squinting so that the passing streetlights looked like blurry, closeby stars.

The car hit a bump, making Suga start into full wakefulness.

“Whoops, sorry,” Daichi mumbled. Suga hadn’t noticed it before, but the way Daichi had glanced over his apology made him realize that his friend seemed distracted. Suga instantly felt a bit guilty for almost falling asleep while his friend had something on his mind. Suga took a second to analyze the way Daichi’s face was trained on the road ahead of them, locked in deep thought.

“Hey, is everything okay? It seems like there’s something on your mind.” Suga chose his words carefully and made sure his tone was gentle; he wanted to make sure Daichi wouldn’t try to hide whatever he was thinking about. Daichi was similar to Suga in that way – if he thought he was going to be a burden on someone, he would try to solve the problem all on his own.

“Yeah, I’m okay…,” Daichi started, miming Suga’s sensitive tone, “I was actually going to ask you the same question. I know you want to have fun and you’re capable of making your own choices…,” He trailed off, looking as though he was carefully considering his next words, “but I felt like you took things a little…farther tonight than you usually do. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.” His eyes flicked over to meet Suga’s as he said the last few words, with his hands tightening on the steering wheel just enough to be noticeable. He was clearly anxious about how Suga would reply – he can remember many fights that had started with a similar exchange; this time, Daichi was being as careful as possible to not upset his friend. Fighting with Suga was the last thing he wanted.

Suga met Daichi’s eyes for a moment, furrowing his brows at the comment. He rolled onto his back again, considering what Daichi had just said. He could tell his friend was trying to respect him and his choices, and Suga _knew_ him drinking with Noya probably pissed Daichi off more than he was letting on. Even though Daichi was being as careful as possible, Suga felt a hint of annoyance at the fact that he was getting called out. Still, he very well couldn’t complain – Daichi was asking him out of a place of genuine worry.

“I…,” Suga started, not knowing exactly how to respond to Daichi’s concerns. “No, everything’s okay. I’ve just been really stressed, and I wanted to try something new, you know? I mean, we’re third-years now…everything is starting to feel really different.” Suga wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by his last statement; he just knew that he felt in his heart that it was true. There had been a shift in his world – he was being confronted with the reality that things had been changing quickly, and there was no going back to his once very peaceful life. Realizing that his answer didn’t do very well to prove that nothing was wrong, Suga tried to pivot and convince his friend not to be concerned.

“Seriously, Daichi. I’m okay! Don’t worry, I’ll get used to things. I promise.” Suga felt his stomach turn as he thought about what he really meant. ‘ _I’ll get used to playing backup to a first-year.’_ Ouch. As he looked over at his friend’s sharp side-profile, a second thought occurred to him that he couldn’t quite push away. ‘ _I’ll get used to wanting to be around you all the time. I’ll get used to missing you when we’re not in class or practice together. I’ll get used to knowing you’ll never see me the same way. Don’t worry, I’ll get used to it, I promise.’_ Ouch. Ouch _. Ouch._

Daichi interrupted his slew of thoughts by looking over at him and nodding.

“Okay, well if you ever need anything…I really want you to tell me. You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

Suga paused for a moment, considering whether or not he could _really_ tell Daichi anything. He could tell him a lot of things, but not _anything_. Not the most important thing. Instead of spilling his guts to his best friend, Suga just mustered up a weak smile and tried to act as normal as he could.

“Yeah, of course I know.” And then a bit more softly, “Thanks, Daichi.”

It had taken the last bit of energy out of him to fight down his confession. Suga turned his face to look out the window and battled a single tear that threatened to drop from his eye. He couldn’t wait until he was done with this _stupid_ crush.

Daichi remained silent, despite still seeming distracted by something. He leaned forward and turned the music up, and they didn’t talk for the rest of the drive.

* * *

Suga had composed himself by the time they were nearing his house. He stretched a little bit, having gotten stiff from his rigid position in the car seat. In passing, he thought about how excited he was to lay in his bed. He felt confused as he watched Daichi completely overshoot his house and turn down a side street.

“Hey, are you directionally-challenged? You just passed my house!” Suga couldn’t contain the whine in his voice as he complained. He was really tired!

“Hang on, I’ll explain in a second.” Daichi rounded the next corner, and the looped back around to the street Suga lived on. After carefully checking his mirrors, he pulled up in front of Suga’s house.

“There was a car that had been following us for a little too long. I thought it was weird that they came all the way to this neighborhood, so I went around the block to make sure they weren’t tailing us. Y’know, because if they went around the block too, they would definitely be following us. We don’t need any psychos knowing where you live!” Daichi smiled at Suga, whose face lit up in mock-terror.

“Well, we don’t need any _more_ psychos knowing where I live,” Suga teased, lightly shoving Daichi’s shoulder.

“Hey! This _psycho_ just gave your ass a ride home! Maybe I _should_ have let the creepy-sedan man know where you live.”

“Ugh, you’re right. I am _so_ sorry. I take it all back. Thank you for saving my _life_ ,” Suga said though a thick layer of sarcasm.

“Get out of my _damn_ car,” Daichi said, pushing a giggling Suga towards the door. “And get some sleep. We have exam prep tomorrow.”

Suga jumped out of the car in mock-fear, barely able to contain his laughter.

“Fine. Good _night_ Daichi, thanks for the ride.” Suga waved at his friend and walked towards his house. Daichi’s car pulled away once Suga was inside safely, making Suga crack a small smile. Little things like checking to see if he was home safe were what made Suga think Daichi really was a good person. Like, really, _genuinely_ good. The pit in his stomach came back when Suga thought about how he really just couldn’t compare.

Suga felt grateful that his parents were already asleep in bed, so he didn’t have to answer any questions about where he’d been or what he had been doing. He brushed his teeth and showered (yes, he’d showered before going out, but he felt dirty again. What can he say, he cares about his hygiene!) He pulled on a pair of boxers and didn’t bother to put on anything else – he crashed into bed thoughtlessly, unable to process anything else that had happened that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This chapter's a little late - I got busy towards the end of last week, so I finished it last night, but of course that while AO3 was undergoing maintenance. I spent a while thinking about this chapter. Not a lot actually happens, but I think it was important for setup/developing some relationships. 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments! Also, thanks to everyone who left kudos, they make my day! I have an exam on Monday so this might not have the next chapter out by Sunday, but I'll get it out asap. Probably around this time next week. Until then!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooooo!!! So sorry this chapter took so long guys! Forgive me 🥺 I've been slammed with work and class, and I've been doing a lot of job applications/interviews (a lil inspo for the first section ahaha)
> 
> Although I wasn't doing too much writing over the last few weeks, I was thinking about what I wanted to do with this story/decided where it's going! So even though it took me a while to get this chapter out, this was kinda in the best interests of anyone following the story. I have every major plot point chiseled out, so hopefully I can stick to a writing schedule a little bit better. No promises, though.
> 
> Also, ignore any like minor cannon mistakes I make - I realized that in the official storyline, Noya and Asahi were like kinda still fighting, but like for the sake of the story let's just say they were good by that point. I've probably made some errors that I haven't noticed, and I will definitely continue to make them in the future! Oops.
> 
> Also also, it's kinda crazy to me how many people have read this! I know my views are pretty average, but I'm super blown away to think this has been clicked on like 700 times. That means at least a few hundred people have read something I wrote....crazy. I'm super grateful for every click, comment, and kudo! Okay that's it, we can get into it now.
> 
> ***11/9/20 Note: if you clicked on the story because it said updated today - sorry there's no new content, I was just fixing some typos that I noticed after rereading. HowEVER, I was rereading to make sure I match the tone to the next chapter appropriately since it's been a while since I added to this! It's been a few weeks but I have more free time again, so I'll be updating more regularly again. If you've been keeping up with the story, thank you so much for your patience! It makes me so happy to know people enjoy my writing :)

Daichi considered himself to be a pretty well-rounded person.

He was disciplined; he exercised his body and mind often, while also encouraging other people to follow in his footsteps. He tried his best to be there for his friends, as well as build up some other skills. He was pretty good in the kitchen, and although he didn’t share it often, he was a decent singer.

In exam prep class, the teacher was talking briefly about university interviews. Daichi casually tuned in to what the teacher was saying – normally, he would be the first to get engaged with the discussion and answer any questions, but he was having trouble focusing. Suga sat next to him with his head propped up with his hand, clearly trying to not fall asleep. Daichi couldn’t help but crack a smile at the messy spectacle that was his friend – Suga’s hair was unkempt, his eyelids were drooping, and his clothes were _clearly_ being re-worn. Hungover Suga was absolutely adorable (if not a little grimy), he thought to himself.

“Interviewers often ask you what your greatest strengths are, but the question that’s _really_ hard to answer is ‘ _What is your greatest weakness_?’ It’s hard for people to come up with something that’s honest but also won’t hurt your chances of getting into a school. I want everyone to take a minute to think about what they think their weakness is.”

Daichi toyed with the question. _‘My greatest weakness…’_ The teacher was right, it _was_ really hard to think of something. After a few moments of thinking, one thing came to mind.

While Daichi was very level-headed in volleyball games, in other competitions, he often found himself celebrating before the game was actually won. He cringed at the memory of when he’d been playing a board game with the team, and in the last round told everyone, ‘There’s no shot you’ll beat me – I’m way too far ahead!’ He remembered the feeling of being so close to winning, so close that he was able to settle in and boast – but as soon as he did so, everyone else went looking for ways to take him down. He felt as though he had made it to the top of a high ladder, and his fingers were brushing the top rung.

Noya figured out a hole in Daichi’s defense and took land away from him. Noya didn’t even end up winning the game, but he stole the victory from Daichi. Daichi felt as though his hand had slipped; he had missed the final rung, just short of winning. He faced the sky as he fell farther and farther down, watching the pinnacle get more and more distant; his defeat was made all the more bitter by the fact that he had been so close to the top. The height was within his reach – and yet, he had gotten in his own way and fallen. He had robbed himself of the prideful feeling one gets when they win, which made his stomach curl.

Suga bumped Daichi’s arm with his elbow.

“Hey. What’s your greatest weakness, Daichi?” Suga had managed a small smile, clearly not taking the lesson too seriously.

Daichi stifled a laugh.

“I need to learn how to finish stuff, I always end up messing up at the last minute,” Daichi whispered, trying to avoid letting the teacher hear them talking. “Although, I’m not sure an interviewer would really want to hear that.”

Suga laughed, brightening up his washed-out hangover face. Seeing that response from his friend made Daichi’s stomach bubble with pride.

“How about you? What’s your _greatest weakness_ , Suga?”

“Ughhhh,” Suga groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Alcohol. Definitely.”

Daichi grinned and elbowed Suga, still trying not to laugh.

“That’s what you _get!_ ” Daichi poked, smiling.

Suga rolled his eyes, but he was joking. His smile mimicked Daichi’s, making the captain’s heart flutter. Something about making Suga smile really felt like _winning._

* * *

The weeks leading up to the Fall Interhigh were filled with practice, school, practice, repeat. Suga was exhausted, but had never felt more excited for a tournament. Their team had taken on a new form – it had morphed into something that it hadn’t been before, something completely new. Suga was radiating excited energy in his bus seat he thought about all of the possibilities the tournament would hold.

Daichi sat next to him, matching his energy. They were both trying to keep their composure – they didn’t want to look like anxious first-years!

Suga whispered quietly, so that only Daichi could hear, “Hey Daichi – I honestly think we can win. Is that crazy? It feels crazy but…I don’t know. What do you think?”

Daichi smiled, looking as hopeful as Suga felt. “Well, let me put it like this. If we lose in the first round, everyone’s doing fifty laps, so we _can’t_ lose.”

Suga made a face in mock-horror. “I guess we’d better not,” Suga said, smiling. “You’d better not fuck this up for me, Daichi. I don’t want us to lose and have to do fifty laps even though I was on the bench.”

Daichi frowned at Suga’s comment. Even though Suga was comfortable joking about it, he was still upset he didn’t get to play with his best friend on the court.

“You’re gonna get in the game this time, I know it. If we lose, it’s gonna be on you, too.” Daichi accented the last point with a grin, clearly believing that Suga was going to get to play. The fact that he had so much faith in Suga continued to shock him.

“Yeah, whatever,” Suga turned his face to the window, trying to hide his pleased smile. He hoped that it was true, that he would get into a game in this tournament. He was no Kageyama, but he still had a lot to offer.

The bus entered a tunnel, plunging everything into darkness. Suga got a text, making his bright phone screen contrast from the dim lighting that surrounded him. He checked his phone to see a message from an unknown number.

**Unknown:** Good luck today. I hope I get to see you in a game.

Suga looked at his phone for a moment, confused. He didn’t recognize the number _or_ the area code. Maybe someone had given one of his classmates his number? It felt odd, but Suga was not one to be rude and leave someone on read.

**Suga:** Thank you! Sorry – I don’t have this number saved. Who is this?

The person read the message almost immediately, and Suga waited for a response. After a few minutes had passed, he realized whoever was on the other end of the messages was not going to tell him who they were. He felt a little bit unsettled, and noticed Daichi shift next to him. Suga picked his head up and saw his friend looking over at him.

“Everything okay?” Daichi asked, face painted gently with concern.

Deciding that it was weird, but really no big deal, Suga turned his phone off and smiled.

“Yeah, don’t worry. Just some nerves.”

The look on Daichi’s face relaxed a bit, and he patted Suga on the back.

“I feel that. Don’t worry Suga, we’ve got this.”

“Yeah,” Suga said, partially to himself, “there’s nothing to worry about.”

* * *

The outcome of their first two games stunned Suga. He had expected to get past the first round if he was being honest, but beating the Iron Wall of Date? That was unprecedented for Karasuno. After the final point was won, he was filled first with shock, and then with complete euphoria. If they could beat Date, they could beat anyone.

Suga kept that thought in his mind as he wandered around the facility. Their bus needed some extra time to pick them up, so they were given free reign for an extra hour. He wandered in and out of gyms alone; he would have gone with friends, but after all of the excitement his social battery was drained.

Suga found himself leaning on the doorframe of the gym adjacent to the one Karasuno had just played in. On the court, another quarterfinal matchup was in its final moments. Seijoh was crushing their opponents, and who but their star player was up to serve.

As Suga watched Oikawa Tooru glide to the back of the court, he swallowed _hard._ It’d been about two weeks since their encounter; Suga had tried to brush it off as meaningless flirting, but he had to admit that he’d thought about it a _lot._ Like a little _too_ much. Suga would go so far as to say the interaction had made him develop a TINY crush on Oikawa for like, a day. Just a day! He convinced himself that he was _totally_ over it.

As he watched Oikawa’s graceful figure on the court, he wasn’t so sure.

Oikawa positioned himself deep in the back of the court, waiting for the whistle to blow. In the seconds before the point started, he turned his head right to where Suga was standing. He locked eyes with him and smirked. Suga felt his body tense up and his jaw drop a little bit – how did Oikawa even notice he was there?

In the same moment, the whistle blew and Oikawa took off – the ball floated through the air as he took his first few steps and leapt. In one fluid motion, his hand contacted the ball in what almost looked like a spike. At almost the same time his feet hit the floor, Oikawa’s serve slammed to the ground between two back-row players.

The crowd was silent for a moment, and then the gym erupted into chaos. The energy was overpowering, and Suga was amazed by Oikawa’s ability to play off of it. As Suga turned his eyes from the spot the serve had landed back to Oikawa, he couldn’t manage to wipe away the impressed look that painted his face. Locking eyes with Oikawa again, he couldn’t help but feel anything but stunned.

And then Oikawa winked.

Suddenly, Suga felt _ten times more_ stunned, as well as a million times more embarrassed. His face _definitely_ flushed pink, and he hoped that Oikawa couldn’t see from where he was standing. Suga grimaced as a sly smile worked its way onto Oikawa’s face. He had _definitely_ noticed.

Oikawa’s gaze lingered on Suga for a moment longer before going to celebrate with his team. Feeling somewhat defeated, Suga felt something like butterflies and anxiety rolling around in his stomach. The attention that Oikawa gave him was fun, but playing that serve in a match definitely wouldn’t be _._

* * *

When Oikawa saw Suga watching his final point of the match (or what would be the final point if he gets the ace he wants) he smiled. He knew he had to turn things up while the other setter was watching; he also had to throw in some of his signature flirting.

In truth, he’d wanted to mess with Suga when they ran into each other those few weeks ago. Suga was an enigma – an attractive guy who paid Oikawa absolutely _no_ mind. While Oikawa still wanted to show him who was boss in a game, he had to admit his fascination with Suga went beyond crushing him in volleyball. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop himself from replaying their brief encounter over and over in his head.

When Oikawa recalled the shocked look on Suga’s face when they had first collided, he could feel his heart swell. He would say that Suga was genuinely hot, but when he looked at him in that moment, shocked and innocent, the only way Oikawa could describe him would be completely and irrevocably _cute._

Oikawa often found himself missing the feeling of Suga’s hand pressed up against his chest. Although the contact had been short-lived, the warmth from the smaller setter had permeated all of Oikawa’s being. It felt caring and genuine – Oikawa would sometimes press his own hand up against the spot.

Oikawa had come to the conclusion, after replaying the memory countless times (and almost getting caught by Iwa doodling little portraits of Suga in class) that he needed a chance to spend more time with Suga. He wasn’t really one to make the first move in a relationship, but something about Suga felt special. When he saw the smaller player watch him set up for the final serve, he smirked to both Suga and himself – he was going to ask Suga out, and he had a _plan._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the longest chapter, but the next one should be pretty exciting! The next few chapters will be....dramatic...heheheh >:)
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments! I'll try to get another chapter out soon, but I have an essay due soon that I haven't started and some assessments coming up. I'll probably post in about a week, so keep an eye out! Happy reading :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo long time no see! Sorry for the slow update, I've been super busy the last few weeks! My excuse: despite getting a job offer, I decided I didn't want that job so I had to keep looking, which took up like all of my time on top of classes. Therefore, I was not very good at staying on top of this story! However, I got another offer (that I want) and should be a bit more free to write.
> 
> I've thought of a few extra plot points that I want to add in, and I'm really excited for you guys to get to read them! One of those will be in the next chapter. For now, let me know what you think of this chapter! I love reading comments and seeing your predictions. Also, over 1k hits! Feels insane that people have wanted to check out my story that many times. Thanks again to everyone who reads and everyone who drops a kudos/comments!

Self-reflection is usually a good thing. It lets you learn about yourself, the good and the bad, and it helps you improve.

Self-reflection is usually a good thing, but not in the way that Suga does it.

Suga found himself in the most isolated bathroom in the facility, completely alone. His hands clutched the sides of the white porcelain sink so tightly that his knuckles took on a bleached hue. His spine was rigid, contorting his lithe frame over the sink. He tried to catch his breath, tried to slow down his racing thoughts, but he failed.

Suga was happy that the team had won, but the day hadn’t gone how he had wanted it to. During the two matches they played, Suga was on the court for a total of five points. Sitting on the sidelines all day made him feel _weak._ He was so weak, and the people around him that he cared about were so _strong_. _Daichi_ was so strong.

The captain had won many points during the day’s matches – hitting perfect spikes, making impressive digs, and keeping the team together through his compelling spirit. Daichi was the glue that brought the team to victory. Every time Daichi jumped to hit a spike, Suga felt his heart soar with him.

And now, as Suga stood alone in this bathroom, he grimaced at his own pitiful reflection. The hollow look in his eyes made his soaring heart plummet. Exhausted after playing a mere few points that day, all he could see in the mirror was ‘ _weak, weak, weak.’_ What kind of person needs someone else to make them happy? Someone with no backbone, someone who doesn’t have enough substance of their own to sustain themselves. A parasite. A weakling. A loser.

‘ _Someone like_ me _,_ ’ Suga whispered at his reflection. The words came out harsh, breaking the silence of the room and echoing off of the tiled walls. The words felt like poison as he spat them at the image of himself in the mirror, and he couldn’t help but feed into his own misery.

‘ _Someone strong like Daichi couldn’t want someone weak like me,’_ Suga thought. His stomach curled as he felt a wave of remorse follow that thought.

Part of Suga knew that wasn’t true, that an evil part of his mind had taken control, but he couldn’t regain power over his thoughts. The assault on his character and self-esteem would only continue, with each thought more scathing than the last.

An image of Oikawa’s perfect, game-finishing service ace flashed through his mind, and his insides twisted again. He was fooling himself, having a crush on someone like that. Oikawa was adored by dozens, maybe even hundreds of fans – a lame benchwarmer like Suga didn’t have a shot.

Suga gasped, feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of thoughts. He took deep breaths, trying to stave off the aggressive wave of negativity. After focusing on channeling the air in, and out, in, and out; Suga was able to clear his mind a bit. Despite finding a bit of mental calm, the ordeal had left him even more tired than he’d been after the game had ended.

Although he hadn’t played much, Suga’s back muscles were tight. He stretched to relieve some of the stress that had caught itself between his shoulder blades and sighed. This tournament was taking more of a mental toll on him than he had expected. He turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water on his face – even if he was exhausted, the day wasn’t over yet. He was going to have to face his team, and he couldn’t be going around looking so down.

Suga jumped as he heard the handle to the bathroom door turn. He hadn’t expected anyone else to be coming down this way, especially so late.

He dried his hands and face with his towel, trying to look as natural as possible. When he looked back at the mirror, he was surprised to see Oikawa’s image with him in the reflection.

“Oh-,“ Suga paused, feeling a little awkward as he remembered that this would be their first sober interaction, “Oikawa- I…didn’t expect to run into anyone else over here. Especially you – I got the idea that you’re more of a people person.” Suga suddenly realized it might seem weird for him to be tossing out assumptions about a guy he had barely met, but for some reason he felt comfortable speaking his mind.

Oikawa made an amused face at the way Suga rushed to greet him. “I could say the same for you, Suga,” he countered. After diving in with Suga’s nickname, the conversation immediately took on an air of intimacy. Oikawa thought for a moment, then continued. “I love the energy of the game, and I love my teammates, but afterwards I get so…,” Oikawa paused, sounding drained, “…I just get so tired.”

Suga was struck by how genuine Oikawa’s remark was. It had none of the grandiosity that usually followed the taller setter around. Rather, it sounded real, almost like a confession (made in a the holiest of places, a boy’s bathroom.)

“I guess we have that in common, then.” Still facing the mirror, Suga made eye contact with Oikawa’s reflection. Providing a small, weary smile, Suga continued, “The game is all energy and noise and tension, and then after – there’s nothing.” Suga stopped, reliving the emotion of being filled all the way up with energy, only for it to slip away like a rushing tide. In a small voice, he continued, “I almost feel crushed by the emptiness that comes after.”

Suga was struck by the thought that he should be feeling silly for saying something like that, but Oikawa’s face in the mirror wasn’t laughing at him. Rather, it seemed like he was considering what Suga had said; a statement that had sounded like a confession similar to his own.

Oikawa broke the silence with a response filled with conviction.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding slightly, “that’s what it feels like.”

Suga suddenly felt comforted; the anguish from earlier started to wash away in the presence of this mutual understanding that he usually only felt around Daichi. Stretching his arms to the side to relieve some remaining stress in his shoulders, Suga turned away from the sink to face Oikawa.

* * *

Oikawa smiled as he looked at Suga. He’d been shocked to find the other setter here, but he was happy for the opportunity to engage with him. Oikawa was surprised by just how comfortable he was feeling with this person that he barely knew – it was almost like he had stepped into another dimension when he set foot in the slightly musty bathroom.

Oikawa watched as Suga stretched stiffly and turned around to face him, leaning back on the sink for support. Despite not being a starter, it was clear to Oikawa that Suga was training enough for his effort to take a toll on him.

“Congratulations on your win today. I didn’t see much of your match, but what I did get to see was… _impressive_.”

A gentle smile crawled across Oikawa’s face at the compliment. He knew for a fact that the only point Suga had seen was his final service ace.

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Oikawa started, not quite knowing how to proceed. The compliment should have had an air of flirtatiousness to it, but the delivery was so honest and genuine that Oikawa was pretty sure Suga hadn’t noticed the implication of his comment.

‘ _How cute,’_ Oikawa thought to himself.

“Congrats to your team as well, I heard you had an impressive match with Date.” Oikawa did his best to sound casual, but not rude. He didn’t want to give Suga a big head (Seijoh _always_ beats Date) but he _was_ pretty impressed with Karasuno’s performance.

Suddenly, Suga’s eyes lit up with a competitive flair that had been missing moments prior.

“Thanks – If you know we won, I guess that also means you know we’ll be playing each other tomorrow.” Suga shifted, crossing his arms. “Even though you’ve got that killer serve, you’d better be ready to be surprised by us.” A determined grin crawled across Suga’s face. “We won’t lose.”

Oikawa returned Suga’s devious expression – he liked seeing the other setter get fired up, and this was the opportunity he’d been waiting for.

“Oh? Are you willing to bet on that?”

“One-hundred percent,” Suga said confidently. He developed a bit of a devious expression, clearly excited about adding an element of risk to the match. “What’re the stakes?”

“Hmm…,” Oikawa started, pretending he hadn’t been planning what he was going to say, “How about, in the one to a million chance Aoba Josai loses, I’ll tell Kageyama that he’s better than me. In the WAY more likely case that Karasuno loses…” Oikawa smirked and met Suga’s curious eyes, “You have to let me take you on a date.”

Suga’s jaw dropped for a moment, followed by a small sputtering sound as he grappled for words. Oikawa tried to maintain a calm exterior, but he was internally _very_ stressed. This was the moment of truth, something he had been waiting on for a while now.

If Suga denied the bet, there was no chance. That would mean he’s not interested, and Oikawa had totally misread the signals – something that he was _definitely_ not used to. _However,_ if Suga accepted the bet, that means he’s okay with the chance that he would have to go on the date; it would mean that Oikawa has a shot. ‘ _Honestly,”_ Oikawa thought to himself, _“If they somehow win tomorrow, I’ll just keep finding ways to-“_

“Deal.” Suga’s response cut through Oikawa’s barrage of thoughts. His words seemed to echo across the tiled surfaces of the room, calming Oikawa’s nerves.

“But only because I’m _that_ confident that we’re going to win tomorrow,” Suga prodded, a playful smile finding its way back to his lips. There was something more flirtatious in the way he maintained eye contact with Oikawa, and Oikawa felt his mouth dry up a bit as he stared back. Honestly, if it weren’t for the chance that someone else would walk through the door at any moment, Oikawa had half a mind to bridge the distance between them and kiss Suga in that instant.

Gathering himself, Oikawa shook off the thought. He knew it was kind of silly, given the fact that they hardly knew each other, but he didn’t want this to just be a fling. He’d had plenty of those in the past, and they always left him feeling somewhat empty. Something about Suga felt special, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t getting him on this date.

“Yeah, okay, Suga. Whatever you say,” Oikawa retorted, rolling his eyes. Oikawa threw in a hair flip to emphasize how good his hair looked after playing a match – if Suga was going to push his buttons, he could definitely play that game.

Suga scoffed, looking mock-irritated. “Oh please, you guys don’t have a sho-“

Suga was cut off by the bathroom door opening suddenly (and validating Oikawa’s earlier concerns), almost hitting the taller setter. Oikawa then realized how little he and Suga had moved since the encounter had started, and he felt mildly embarrassed by how enraptured he had been with their conversation.

Oikawa jumped out of the way, which allowed him to get a clear view of the person barging in. The jacket of the offending party read “Sawamura” – great, it was none other than Oikawa’s newly declared rival.

“Oh, Oikawa. Sorry.” Sawamura fumbled through his apology, clearly displeased to see Oikawa. “Congrats on your win today.”

Not feeling keen on talking to the captain, Oikawa just gave a flippant smile and nod in response. He followed Sawamura’s eyes as the captain noticed the other person in the room.

“Suga! Wh- what are you guys…” Sawamura awkwardly trailed off, clearly not knowing how to address the situation with Oikawa still there.

“Never mind. I’ve been looking for you all over – the bus is leaving soon, we’ve gotta go. Are you ready?”

“Oh _shit_ , I completely lost track of time. Sorry, Daichi – lemme grab my stuff, one sec!”  
  
Oikawa held back a laugh as he noted how cute Suga looked when he was caught off guard.

Suga gathered his bags and followed the captain out of the bathroom. Sawamura simply nodded at Oikawa, while Suga turned around to get the last word in.

“Good luck tomorrow, but we’re gonna win.”

Oikawa couldn’t keep himself from letting a smirk cross his face.

“I’d like to see you try.”

The door closed behind Suga, and Oikawa was left alone with two thoughts. _First_ , he was definitely winning tomorrow so he could get Suga out on that date, and _second,_ he _really_ had to pee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this chapter! The next one will have some DaiSuga drama as well as more stalker stuff - I would have loved to add those to this chapter, but I just didn't have the time. The cutoff for this section works well, and I think adding anything else would have made it feel forced.
> 
> Shoutout to Sobakasuuu for commenting yesterday! That gave me the incentive to get up and write this chapter. I realized that I don't want people thinking this fic is dead, so I'd better put something out there! That said, this doesn't have all of the action that I'd like it to, but I think it's a good chapter. If I had more energy I would probably double the word count, but alas, I got super into writing this chapter and now its like 2 am. I want to post this now, and I don't wanna be writing until 4, so you guys will just have to wait for the next chapter to get to more actiony stuff!
> 
> Also, if there's ever a time where it's been a long time since I've posted, leave a comment and check in! It's a helpful incentive :,,)
> 
> That's all for now, leave a comment and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading everyone, until next update!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy this long chapter, brought to you by me using this as a way to procrastinate! It's been a long time since I've posed an (almost) weekly update, oops! Here's to me maybe sticking to my update schedule a little bit better going forward. As always, thank you for reading!

Daichi and Suga walked down the now-empty halls of the facility in silence. Daichi focused his stare on the distance, unusually silent. If it weren’t for the million different thoughts vying for his attention, Suga would have noticed the way Daichi was pointedly mute and practically dragging him along. The whole interaction with Oikawa had teleported him into another world – his “minor” crush was back in full force.

Suga’s heart was racing – he’d been wrong about not being likable. He was a little surprised by how forward Oikawa had been, but in truth, that was pretty on-brand. Suga noted how he was glad that Oikawa had made the bet – knowing that someone could be interested in him gave Suga the confidence boost that he’d been needing. It was a perk that the guy who was interested in him was that hot. Suga couldn’t help but recall the way he felt the night they first met, with Oikawa’s face inches from his own. He felt a shiver run down his spine as he relived the memory, almost tripping over his own feet.

Daichi yanked Suga out of his daze by breaking the silence.

“So, what was that about?”

Daichi’s unexpectedly irritated tone made Suga’s stomach drop a bit. He internally kicked himself for completely missing what Daichi had asked – he’d been too lost in his daydream to understand what his friend was saying.

“Hm?”

“I mean, why were you all the way over there? I’ve been looking for you for like fifteen minutes, and you don’t answer your phone,” Daichi’s voice had the same irritated tinge as before.

Daichi’s tone softened as he shifted his eyes away from Suga.

“I got worried that you were lost…or avoiding me.”

“No! I wasn’t avoiding you, that’s not it at all-“

The words tumbled out of Suga’s mouth in one burst, but he needed to think fast about how to respond to Daichi’s comment. In truth, Suga was avoiding Daichi, but he was avoiding the whole team too. He had no idea how to convey that to his friend without hurting his feelings, so Suga did his best to pivot.

“No,” he started again, more slowly, “I just went to watch a few matches after we finished, and I just…ended up pretty far away. It’s nothing personal, I just wandered a little too far.”

Suga wasn’t sure he’d done a very good job at convincing Daichi, but a part of him was feeling a bit indignant. He was his own person; he didn’t have to explain everything he did. That said, he was making everyone late, which he definitely did feel bad about.

“Sorry,” Suga muttered, “I didn’t mean to hold everyone up. And I think my phone’s still in my bag from the beginning of the match, so I didn’t see your texts.”

Daichi looked like he was weighing what Suga had said. After a moment, a forgiving smile graced his lips.

“It’s all good, Suga. I was just worried, that’s all.”

Something about seeing such a gentle expression cross his friend’s face made Suga forget about his earlier irritation and swarmed his stomach with butterflies. Unconsciously, he mirrored Daichi’s smile and felt his cheeks warm up. While he didn’t like feeling controlled, hearing Daichi say he was concerned about him made his heart swell.

“All good, Daichi. Sorry for giving you separation anxiety, I’ll never leave your side again,” Suga rebutted, pressing up to his friend’s side for emphasis. (He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t just trying to get close to Daichi. He couldn’t help it, the opportunity was too perfect, and Daichi looked really good in his post-game sweats.)

“Shut up, I couldn’t get rid of you if I tried,” Daichi said with mock annoyance. While he put up an irritated front, he didn’t try to push Suga away.

“Anyway, what was Oikawa doing in there? I saw we’re playing Seijoh tomorrow.”

“Oh, uh, I think he was looking to get away from his team? Something about being tired,” Suga fumbled. He could tell Daichi was not a fan of Oikawa, and he didn’t want the conversation to become tense again. Best to not disclose too much about their conversation.

“Pfft. Sounds about right, I can see him being the kind of jerk that only wants his team around when they’re useful. Everyone’s tired after a game, doesn’t mean you should ditch them.”

Suddenly, Suga was very glad he hadn’t told Daichi why he was off on his own. Oikawa was away from his team for the same reason that Suga was, and if Daichi thought that made him an asshole…he was happy that his friend didn’t know the truth. Suga couldn’t think of anything more painful than Daichi thinking lowly of him.

“Mmm,” Suga murmured a noncommittal response. He didn’t want to talk shit about Oikawa; while he cared deeply about what Daichi thought, his interest in Oikawa made him reluctant to denounce his actions.

“Did you guys talk about anything in there?”

“No, just pleasantries about the game, stuff like that. Not much to say to each other, I guess.”

‘Liar,’ Suga’s conscience accused. He wasn’t used to lying to Daichi, but his friend really wasn’t giving him much of a choice. There wasn’t a shot in hell that Suga was going to admit to Daichi (who he just so happened to be a teensy bit in love with) that the attractive playboy who he hates just asked Suga out. It simply wasn’t an option.

“Good, er- I mean cool. I can’t wait to wipe that smug look off of his face when we beat him tomorrow,” Daichi said, determination adding an edge to his words.

Suga grinned at the idea of winning the next day and going to the finals.

“Yeah, we’re gonna destroy them,” Suga proclaimed, articulating his words by firmly patting Daichi on the back. ‘Although, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if we didn’t,’ chimed a voice in Suga’s head. He shoved the idea out of his mind, but he knew that whatever the outcome, he would have a pretty solid backup.

Daichi broke away from him as they finally approached the rest of the team, who were all ready to go. Suga was hit by another small wave of guilt for making everyone wait, but he was even more excited to get on the bus and get some rest.

* * *

By the time everyone had gotten their bags and leaving the facility, sunset was well underway. As he stepped outside, Daichi had to cover his eyes to block out the sun’s obtrusive rays.

“Jeez,” Suga whined beside him, clearly also annoyed by the invasive light.

“Oh,” Suga continued, looking out in front of the Karasuno group, “looks like we’re the last ones out.”

  
Daichi followed his best friends’ gaze, with his eyes settling on a distant group. Huddled in front of a yellow school bus was the Seijoh team. Immediately, the tension between the teams was palpable. All of the Karasuno players went quiet, clearly trying to come off as intimidating, but he heard a few murmurings rumble through the group. Daichi understood why everyone was acting tough – looking at the Aoba Johsai group, he had to admit that they were a bit scary. Still, he was positive that their team could win against Seijoh – he felt a wave of pride rush over him as he thought about how much the team had grown. He looked at Suga and smiled; they had worked so hard together to get the team to this point.

Daichi heard the metal doors of the facility behind them jerk open, making him instinctively crane his neck to see who it was. Did they accidentally leave one of their teammates behind? He could have sworn he got the headcount right, but he supposed it was possible he missed someone in his rush. When he stopped to do the headcount, he’d still been feeling some residual stress about not being able to find Suga – Daichi knew he’d overreacted, but the thought of something bad happening to his best friend made his heart catch.

As soon as Daichi saw who was walking through the doors, he had to suppress a dramatic eye roll.

‘Of course, it’s that asshole Oikawa. Taking his damn time,’ Daichi thought, unable to peel his glare off of the other player.

Oikawa, though late, was moving along at his classic, casual strut. His long strides made him appear as though he were gliding across the concrete, but somehow, he was still moving too slowly to give the impression that he was even trying to catch up with his team. Once he noticed Daichi’s stare, Oikawa’s face soured into an equally aggressive expression. Not one to back down, Daichi held his gaze as he walked past.

Once Oikawa was parallel with the Karasuno group, Suga took notice of his presence and locked eyes with him. Daichi watched his friends face closely – for a moment, Suga’s face bore a neutral, if a little surprised, expression (that Daichi couldn’t quite decipher), which melted in a gentle smile, accompanied by a little wave.

In what was a shocking response (to Daichi, at least), Oikawa mirrored Suga’s gesture and took on an expression that looked much kinder than the glare he’d been wearing moments ago. He looked like he was genuinely happy to see Suga again, which sent a wave of confusion through Daichi. Then, so quickly that Daichi almost thought he’d imagined it, Oikawa broke eye contact with Suga and shot Daichi one last vicious look before going and meeting the Seijoh group.

The small interaction sent a wave of questions through Daichi’s mind – Why did Oikawa act so nice towards Suga? Well, if their first encounter was any indicator, Daichi could piece together why Oikawa would be trying to get on Suga’s good side. Daichi unconsciously balled his fists as he thought about Oikawa looking at Suga in the lecherous manner that he had the night of the practice game. Thinking about Oikawa leaning in and whispering in Suga’s ear, smiling at him, touching him – all of it made Daichi’s ears hot and filled his chest with anger.

Suddenly, more questions intruded his mind. Had Suga lied to him about why he was in a random part of the facility alone with Oikawa? Did they really not talk about anything special? Did they do anything special?

His last thought made his mind screech to a halt. That was uncalled for…right? Sure, Oikawa was a playboy and a shameless flirt, but Suga wouldn’t let Oikawa make a move – he wouldn’t even be interested! No – there was no chance that Suga would do anything…like that…with a guy (especially Oikawa) – but Daichi was still curious about the sudden camaraderie between the two. He couldn’t quite stop himself from prodding Suga – and potentially calling him out for a lie.

“You guys are pretty friendly for not having talked much,” Daichi instigated, “Did you really not have anything to talk about?”

“What,” Suga started, sounding a little distracted, “Oh- no. He’s just a nice guy, I guess.”

‘Yeah, right,’ Daichi internally retorted. Deciding that he was most likely overreacting, Daichi decided to drop it.

Once Oikawa joined the Aoba Johsai squad, the team started getting onto their bus. Daichi couldn’t help but smile as he watched the Seijoh ace push Oikawa and say something sharply at him – probably not something nice. ‘That guy gets it,’ Daichi mused. He wouldn’t want to be him, stuck on a team with Oikawa.

As the Seijoh bus left, Karasuno’s bus was able to pull in. Finally, after a long day filled with excitement, they were going to get to go home (but not before team dinner!)

* * *

When they got on the bus, the first-years had a field day telling Suga that he had to take the equipment seat since he made everyone late. (The equipment seat is where everyone drops their bags; the person that sits next to the stuff is responsible for returning it to the right person at the end of the ride, and also for making sure things don’t go toppling to the floor. Usually, the first years were responsible for the equipment seat on a rotating basis, but Suga had accepted the job as an informal punishment for holding the team up.)

“Have fun,” Daichi mocked, patting Suga on the back in a dramatic show of support.

Suga responded with silence and a glare that could kill, before resigning to his fate and flopping into his forsaken seat.

Since Suga was busy getting punished, Daichi took the opportunity to sit next to Asahi. He was feeling a bit restless, and his fellow third-year usually helped him be at ease.

The team spent the ride home in relative silence, with some occasional bickering from Hinata and Kageyama. Next to him, Daichi heard Asahi release a heavy sigh.

“Tired?”

“Yeah, but I’m also like, insanely nervous. This feels like such a big deal,” Asahi replied.

“I feel that,” Daichi empathized, “I should be tired, but somehow I have a ton of energy. I guess you’re right, it’s probably nerves. I’m not sure I’m gonna get much sleep tonight.”

“Me neither,” Asahi agreed, something like exhaustion or disappointment edging his words. “If you feel the same way after dinner, wanna go stargazing? I have a good blanket in my car, and I know a spot. We can invite Suga and make it a seniors thing. It feels crazy that tomorrow could be our last match, we should spend some time together,” Asahi said, taking on a dreamy look.

Stargazing the night before a big match was so Asahi, Daichi had to stifle a laugh. Despite the predictability of the proposition, Daichi thought it was a good idea. He definitely wasn’t going to be able to sleep when he got home, and it was a nice night.

“Yeah, sounds good. I’ll text Suga,” Daichi affirmed. He was excited – it’s not like he got an excuse to stargaze with Suga every day! (Did he just say Suga? He meant Suga and Asahi…obviously.)

* * *

Suga flopped into the equipment seat, feeling like a kid sentenced to time-out. Now that he’d had some time alone, he had actually wanted to spend the bus ride talking with Daichi about the day. Sighing, he resigned himself to the fact that instead of spending the trip cozied up to Daichi and talking about their matches, he would be cozied up to bags full of sweaty uniforms and kneepads.

As the bus started to move, the team settled into silence. Not wanting to disrupt the peace by talking to friends a few seats over, he decided to fish his phone out of his bag. Unzipping the dull orange duffel, he pushed around its contents searching for his phone. On top of his mess of belongings was his lightly-used uniform (which he would still be washing when he got home), the lunch that he’d packed but forgotten to eat, and his headphones. He took out the headphones and a small bag of candies he’d packed, finally finding his phone at the bottom.

Suga plugged the headphones in and popped a candy in his mouth, holding the power button to get his phone to turn on. He always shuts it completely off on tournament days – he can’t use it anyway, and he’s scared of leaving his data on and having to pay extra romancing fees. Suga didn’t have the kind of money to be throwing away on stuff like that, so he always turned his phone all the way off, just to be safe.

His lock screen finally showed up, and he smiled at the picture he’d set as his background. It was from a day Daichi came to Suga’s house to do homework but had gotten soaked in a storm on the way. Suga had given him some clothes to wear, and they spent the afternoon drinking hot chocolate and watching a movie instead of getting any work done. The picture was of the wet-haired Daichi in Suga’s sweats, posing with his cat, Fuku. Suga absolutely loved that picture, but he usually tried to not let other people see his lock screen, since it comes off as a little too intimate. (Suga knows he has it bad. Shut up. If it was any consolation, he was pretty sure Daichi’s lock screen was a picture of the two of them.)

Once his phone finally connected to the internet, notifications from Daichi’s earlier panic started to pop up.

**Two missed calls from Daichi**

**Daichi:** Bus is leaving, where are you?

 **Daichi:** Suga? Are you okay?

 **Daichi:** Answer your damn phone!

Suga had been prepared to see messages from him, but reading through them renewed his sense of guilt. Sorry, Daichi! At least everything was okay now?

As he scrolled through more of his notifications, Suga noticed that some of his text notifications weren’t from Daichi. He tensed as he realized the sender of those other messages – it was the unknown number from earlier in the day. While the person hadn’t said anything particularly horrible to Suga, something about the whole thing felt immensely creepy.

Sucking in a deep breath, Suga gathered his mental strength and opened the text stream.

**Unknown:** You looked really good out there.

 **Unknown:** Excited to see you tomorrow ;)

What was that? This person had his number and was watching him, but wouldn’t tell him their name? So creepy. Maybe they just missed his text asking for their identity? He decided to give the person on the other end of the messages one more chance to tell him who they were.

**Suga:** Thanks, but I didn’t play that much today. Please, can you tell me who this is? I’m a little uncomfortable messaging someone I don’t know.

Suga held his breath for a moment, waiting for a response. Almost instantly, one came.

**Unknown:** No, I mean you looked good. The volleyball was a bonus.

 **Unknown:** And aren’t you demanding

 **Unknown:** That’s okay, I like that

 **Unknown:** Don’t worry about it too much. I’m an interested party.

Suga felt his heart racing as the texts piled up. What was going on? What the fuck? His thoughts were interrupted as another message popped up on his screen.

**Unknown:** I noticed something about you today

A pause. Suga didn’t know whether he was supposed to respond or not, but he couldn’t seem to get his fingers to move.

**Unknown:** You’re quite popular with the boys, hm?

 **Unknown:** That’s not my favorite.

Suga felt the despair that had been pooling in his stomach start to press at the back of his throat. He genuinely felt like he was going to throw up – what was going on? Did this mean this person knew about Oikawa asking him out? Or was it just the fact that the Seijoh captain had been flirting with him? There’s no way this person could have been watching him that closely…right?

**Suga:** Excuse me? What exactly do you mean?

Also, who the hell was this person that they thought they had any right to comment on who he was “popular” with? Why should Suga care if they didn’t like it? Thinking about the anonymous texter’s intentions sent another wave of nausea through him.

**Unknown:** You know what I mean.

 **Unknown:** You’ve got captains falling for you left and right.

Suga’s hand slowly covered his mouth as he felt his body go rigid with shock. This was all too much – he had no idea how to process the information that was coming through his phone. Taking deep breaths, he tried to assemble his thoughts and figure out what facts he knew.

First, some creep has his number. Whoever it was wasn’t going to tell Suga their name. Second, whoever it was had some weird attachment or attraction to him – that much was (horribly, creepily) clear. Third, the person had been following him closely enough to know he had some involvement with Oikawa.

Suga thought about the day, and the times when Oikawa had flirted with him. They’d spoken in the bathroom, but Suga was certain nobody else was in there with them. Even the hallway outside was empty; it would have been very hard to miss someone being out there (especially someone that looks like they could be a creepy stalker), so he assumed that wasn’t where they’d been watching him with Oikawa. They’d also just seen one another as they walked out of the building, but that couldn’t be it either. The only people that had been there were his teammates, and besides, their small exchange couldn’t even be considered flirting. It was a basic greeting between friendly acquaintances, at best.

That left the Seijoh game. If someone had been watching Suga closely, they would have seen the way Oikawa essentially dedicated his game-winning serve to the Karasuno setter, and then followed it with an unmistakably-flirty wink. While the average observer might not have noticed, this person was clearly paying attention.

Suga’s stomach flipped. There were well over two-hundred people watching that match; there was no way he would be able to pick out one suspicious person from that memory. He’d been too fixated on his own exhaustion, and then too fixated on the ever-bold Oikawa. If only he’d been paying more attention to his stupid surroundings!

Suga leaned on the gross pile of bags next to him, suddenly exhausted again. Whatever energy he’d restored was now completely gone. A small wave of gratitude washed over him as he realized how glad he was that he wasn’t sitting next to Daichi – he wouldn’t have been able to hide the texts from him, and that would have set off a record-breaking worrying fit. Make no mistake, Suga felt so stressed he could die, but this was still something he could handle on his own. He didn’t need to freak Daichi out, and he definitely didn’t need to be babied.

Suga felt his phone vibrate in his lap once more, making his heart freeze. He hoped with his entire being that he wasn’t receiving another text from the mystery sender, but he simultaneously couldn’t stop himself from checking who it was.

He breathed a massive sigh of relief when he saw it was another text from Daichi.

**Daichi:** Stargazing with Aashi after team dinner?

 **Daichi** Actually, not a question. I’m informing you that we’ll be stargazing with Asahi after team dinner. See you then :)

Suga let out an ugly laugh as he read the second text – part of him did think it was funny, but he was so freaked out that the sound came out mangled. He also found Daichi’s assertiveness slightly attractive, but he could barely process the thought as his emotions continued to run amok. Still, he was glad Daichi had something planned. Though he didn’t want to admit there was anything wrong, Suga knew being around his friends would make him feel safer. Plus, there was no shot he was going to be able to sleep after dinner with his nerves riding as high as they were.

**Suga:** Sir yes sir! :)

Suga spent some time trying to figure out how to respond to the unknown number, but he couldn’t think of anything before the bus pulled up to the school. He decided to try his best to ignore the messages – the person wouldn’t tell him who they were, and every response freaked him out more and more. Suga put his phone back in his bag where he wouldn’t have to look at it and got ready to distribute everyone’s stuff.

* * *

Team dinner had been loud and rowdy – after their respite on the ride home, the team had a new flush of energy with which to celebrate the day’s victories. It was the perfect atmosphere for Suga to simply blend in with the crowd – everyone else had enough energy to make up for his lack thereof.

When dinner was finally served, Suga felt a little bad for hardly being able to look at it. He was grateful to Coach Ukai and Takeda-sensei for buying the meal, but he was too overwhelmed with stress to eat. He couldn’t get his mind off of the unknown texter, try as he might. He figured he’d pretty much gotten away with ignoring his dinner, save for a few pointed glances from Daichi. Whenever his friend looked in his direction, Suga made an effort to force down a few bites of rice. Despite the food being gummy and tasteless, rice was all he could stomach without activating his nausea. He spent most of the dinner like that, silently nodding along to different parts of the conversation and swallowing small bites of food. Despite being surrounded by his friends, Suga got the feeling that he was harrowingly alone. It was a mild late-summer night, and warm inside of the restaurant, but Suga felt a shiver run down his spine.

* * *

Daichi stretched his arms above his head as he exited the restaurant. The cool evening air surrounded him, making him feel both refreshed and grateful that he was dressed warmly. He gazed up at the sky – it was a clear night, perfect for stargazing. Feeling a renewed degree of excitement for his plans, Daichi looked around for Suga and Asahi.

He found Suga first, standing in a small huddle with Noya and Tanaka. The conversation between the rowdy second years painted a stark contrast with Suga’s uncharacteristic silence. Suga wasn’t always the loudest person, but he usually had something to say. Daichi felt a little uneasy as he thought about Suga’s change in demeanor since they’d gotten off the bus – perhaps he wasn’t feeling well? He’d spent all of the dinner pushing his food around his plate, and currently was looking off into the distance instead of talking with his friends. Daichi was about to approach the group and check in on Suga, when his friend took notice of his stare.

Suddenly, the faraway look in Suga’s eyes had disappeared, being replaced by a soft, if a bit tense, smile. He walked up to Daichi, immediately appearing livelier than before.

“Hey, ready to go? Where’s Asahi?”

Suga’s questions put Daichi at ease – he wouldn’t be asking to get going if he wasn’t feeling well. Maybe he was just stressed about the match and was working through some nerves. Surveying the parking lot, Daichi found Asahi already next to his car.

“There he is – looks like he’s already raring to go,” Daichi said with a chuckle.

“Ha! Yeah, this seems like his thing. Let’s not let him get too sappy on us, I’m not ready to act like this is over,” Suga replied.

Daichi nodded – he definitely didn’t want to be thinking about how this could be one of their last nights as teammates.

He locked eyes with Asahi, and his taller friend beckoned for Suga and himself to come meet him. After saying a quick good-bye to the rest of the team, they walked over to Asahi’s car.

“Guys! I was looking for you – are you ready to go? I’m so excited,” Asahi sighed, “I can’t believe tomorrow might be our last game together…” He trailed off, already getting sentimental. Daichi laughed internally; Suga called it.

“Woah there, Asahi. We’ll have tomorrow and nationals to worry about – don’t start getting all emotional on us yet,” Suga interjected.

“Yeah, we still have a lot ahead of us. But for now, I’m ready to relax,” Daichi said with a sigh. “We’re ready to go, want me to follow your car so you don’t have to drop us back off here?

Asahi smiled and nodded. “Fine, I won’t make you guys have an emotional talk just yet. We’ll have to do it sometime, but whatever. And yeah, following me works.”

“Sweet, let’s get going. We’ll see you there, Asahi!”

* * *

“Suga, do you wanna take the aux? You have better music taste than me,” Daichi said. It was true – Suga was way more in touch with music than him (Suga knew more about pop culture in general – Daichi liked to mock Suga for watching tabloid news programs, but he secretly liked hearing Suga chatter about which celebrity did what stupid thing. It was cute.)

“Damn, I left my phone in my bag, and I threw it in the trunk. I’ll deal with your shitty music for this drive – hopefully it’ll be short.”

“Are you sure? I can tell Asahi to wait a sec if you want to get it.”

“No- it’s okay,” Suga said a bit too quickly, “He seems really excited to get going, we can deal.”

Daichi noticed Suga’s shift in demeanor; his friend went from joking around to being a little too serious. While he could tell that he’d made Suga nervous, he had no idea why. He decided not to push it, despite his curiosity.

“Suit yourself, but that means we’re listening to 90s rock,” Daichi teased.

The tension that had clung to Suga’s features suddenly melted – it happened so quickly that Daichi wasn’t even sure it had been there. In its place was a dramatic, pained look.

“Do we haaaave to,” Suga said, almost appearing like he was in physical pain, “Can we just listen to nothing instead?”

Daichi felt his heart flutter at the silliness of the act.

“Nope. You don’t wanna take the aux? You deal with the consequences.”  
  


Suga stared blankly ahead as he pretended to be bored to death (he would never admit it, but he likes Daichi’s music taste – probably just because it reminds him of Daichi, though.)

* * *

The drive ended up being longer than Suga had expected it to be, but he hadn’t really minded. He welcomed the opportunity to talk to Daichi about the game like normal – Daichi had been really excited to hear Suga’s insights about the day’s matches from the sidelines, praising every comment Suga made about something that he hadn’t noticed himself. It was a little silly, but Daichi’s approval made his chest swell with pride, like when his mom commended his good grades as a kid. Suga made an effort to return the favor, pointing out his friend’s best plays of the day. Daichi tried to be modest, but Suga insisted that he was incredible (he was) until his friend was satisfyingly embarrassed and admitted that he was proud of his performance. Suga knew Daichi well enough that a push like that would boost his confidence, but Suga had to admit that his pressing of the issue had a little bit to do with how cute Daichi looked when he was blushing.

After what felt like an hour, they saw the intrusive red glow of Asahi’s brake lights as the ace slowed to a stop. They were at the bottom of a hill that almost looked like the backside of a farm, which made two thoughts run through Suga’s mind. One: Asahi probably doesn’t know that this is trespassing, but Suga wasn’t going to tell him (he didn’t care, but Asahi would freak out) and Two: Asahi has got to be joking – they just spent all day playing a tournament, and now they were going to have to climb this hill? Fucking christ, Asahi.

“Finally,’ Daichi muttered as they parked. “I opened the trunk so you can grab your phone – meet me at Asahi’s car once you have your stuff!”

Suga internally groaned – he would be content to leave his phone in the trunk for a year if it was going to keep stressing him out the way it had all afternoon. Not wanting to cause Daichi any reason for suspicion, he pasted a smile onto his face and nodded.

Suga rummaged through his bag, once again digging through clothes and miscellaneous items to find his phone. Once he pulled it out, an ugly feeling coursed through his veins. Against his better judgment, he checked his notifications.

Sighing a breath of relief, he saw that there were no unknown messages; I did leave them on read earlier, Suga thought, maybe they’ll leave me alone if I just ignore them. Letting the thought console him, he felt a wave of newfound peace. After shooting a quick text to his mom, Suga closed the trunk and went to meet his friends.

“Suga! Took you long enough,” Asahi started with a grin, “ready for a little walk?”

“A little walk, Asahi, are you kidding? This is like, Mount Everest or something,” Suga complained.

“Well, of course I knew of other places we could have gone, but this just seems so perfect y’know? We’re seniors, and this is the highest hill around…like being the oldest on our team. Like we’re at the peak!” Asahi rambled with dreamy eyes. Suga had to suppress a laugh at how on-brand Asahi was being – his friend’s passion for the whole thing made it hard for Suga to feel annoyed.

“Walk’s not getting any shorter with us just standing here,” Daichi chimed in.

With a huff, Suga agreed. “True. Asahi, do you have the blanket?”

“Yep, I have it right here!” Asahi said, pulling out a dark-blue bundle from the back of his car. It was obviously a handmade quilt – Suga almost felt bad that they were going to lie it out in a field.

“Sweet, let’s go.” Suga took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for the climb ahead.

* * *

Suga knew a little bit about the phases of the moon, but not that much. He stared at the paper-thin crescent that hung in the sky and wondered if it was waxing or waning. Had it just been a new moon, or was it about to be one? Suga played with the questions in his mind, trying to remember whether the phases went right to left or left to right – the answer didn’t really matter all that much to him. It was just nice to be there with his friends, not worrying about anything but the moment they were in.

Suga was sandwiched between his two taller friends – Asahi’s “perfect” blanket was (unsurprisingly) not quite big enough to fit three high-school volleyball players. As such, they were all squished in pretty tight, pressing up against one another’s sides. While Suga couldn’t think of any other context where he could be in this position, he had to admit that it was absurdly comforting. Daichi had stretched his right arm over Suga’s head, saying he didn’t want it to get squished, which essentially fully enclosed Suga between his friends. Suga subconsciously noticed that Asahi didn’t need to position himself in such a possessive way, but the thought didn’t quite make it to the forefront of his mind.

“Do either of you guys know any constellations?”

“Only a few,” Asahi started, lifting his arm to point at the sky. “There’s Orion’s Belt, and there’s the Big Dipper, but those are the only ones I know. My mom showed me those when I was a kid, but I never learned about the other ones. Now I’m kinda wishing I knew some,” Asahi said, sounding a little disappointed.

“It’s okay, Asahi, I don’t know any either,” Suga said. “That just means we can have some more fun with it. Let’s make our own – There, those three really bright ones are the Big Snake.”

“Ha! I love it, Suga. Brilliant, brilliant,” Asahi praised. “I’m glad you guys agreed to come out here with me, this is fun,” Asahi continued, a bit more softly.

“Of course, Asahi. And even though we’re gonna win tomorrow – you know that after volleyball is over, we’re still gonna do stuff like this, right? We’re going to be friends for a long time,” Daichi reassured.

Suga could only see a bit of Asahi’s face, but he could tell his friend was smiling.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I just- I’m worried things are going to change. I guess they won’t though, because you guys aren’t going anywhere,” Asahi said softly. “I know you don’t want me getting too emotional on you, but seriously, I love you guys!”

“No, they won’t change,” Daichi said resolutely. “I love you guys, too – I don’t know where I’d be without you.” The conviction in his voice made Suga smile – he could relate to how Daichi was feeling. These two people, alongside volleyball, had shaped the last three years of his life.

“I love you guys,” Suga said. “Even when you make me climb a million feet up a hill at nine-thirty at night,” Suga teased, lightly kicking Asahi’s leg.

“Humph, whatever,” Asahi said, humor tinging his voice. “It was a bit of effort, but it’s beautiful here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Daichi answered in a low voice, shifting next to him, “it is.”

Suga turned to look at Daichi, noticing his friend looking down at him. Daichi immediately reverted his eyes to the sky, but Suga couldn’t help noticing the way Daichi tensed up when he’d been caught staring. Suga smiled slightly – he often caught Daichi looking at him at off times; he knew it didn’t mean anything, but his heart still fluttered every time. Suga remembered many of those instances and held them in his memory like little trophies.

They settled into a peaceful silence for an unidentified length of time. There was really no way to follow the passage of time on the hill unless you knew how to track the moon (which Suga definitely didn’t.) Eventually, Suga’s tranquility had to be interrupted.

Buzz.

His phone vibrated loudly in his pocket. One buzz – a text message. Suga tensed, his mind racing at the possibility of the sender being the unknown texter. He waited for a few moments to see if he would get another message, or if Asahi or Daichi would say something. Seconds, then a minute or two passed, and it seemed like he was in the clear.

Buzz.

Fuck.

Buzz.

FUCK.

“Are you gonna get that?” Daichi’s voice was inquisitive, but noncommittal.

“Uh, no, it’s probably just roaming since we’re in the middle of nowhere,” Suga deflected. He didn’t want to let on that there was anything to stress about, so he tried to keep his voice even and tension out of his body.

“If you say so.”

Suga let out a sigh of relief at the fact that Daichi would apparently drop it, but a wave of exhaustion flooded over him. He felt as though he were trapped in a box – he hated that those texts had the power to stress him out, even now. He curled more closely into Daichi’s side and closed his eyes. Comforted by his friend’s warmth, Suga escaped his sudden stress by drifting into a light sleep. Maybe once he woke up, the events of the afternoon would reveal themselves to have just been a bad dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! I hope you guys liked it - DaiSuga & stalker heavy; I had fun writing this! Oisuga stans, hang in there. More Oisuga is en route. While I was writing this chapter, I was simultaneously reading a really amazing horror fic; it gave me some inspiration for a totally crazy (but I think super cool) direction to take this in. I'm not 100% sure if I'm gonna go that direction, but if I do, it'll significantly lengthen the fic. Let me know what you think the twist is in the comments! Hint: there's really not too much that would hint towards it in what's written so far, so be creative if you're guessing ;)
> 
> Please leave other comments too, I love hearing from you guys! I'm usually uncertain about what I post, but then you guys comment and then I'm like "oh okay so it was actually good" lmao! Also, drop kudos if you haven't yet, it gives me the rush you get from getting likes on social media except like times 10 bc I spend hours putting this together hehe
> 
> P.S. If anyone knows how to make the first chapter notes stop popping up at the end of the chapter please let me know - I can't figure it out and its preeeetty annoying. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Well, this was supposed to be posted on Thanksgiving, but I kept procrastinating typing this up. In truth, my process is pretty slow - I write a draft in my notebook and then type it out in a word doc, edit, then post. Except my handwriting sucks, and I'm a slow typer, and I get new ideas as I'm typing and keep changing things up...any chance you guys would just read from pictures of my notebook? No? Fine >:|
> 
> But seriously, I hope all my U.S. readers are enjoying their Thanksgiving/Thanksgiving break - I know I am, it helped me get this chapter out in good time! Let me know what you think in the comments, and as always, thanks for reading :)

Chapter 7

Daichi felt his heart swell as Suga tucked his head under his arm. His smaller friend’s breathing quickly settled into an even, shallow rhythm that made Suga’s chest press into his own. In his unconscious state, Suga had worked his way closer to Daichi – a blush rose to Daichi’s cheeks as he noticed the intimacy of the moment, making him stare stiffly at the sky.

He couldn’t help but notice how perfectly Suga fit into his frame. His friend’s head was curled into his shoulder, and the curves of their bodies seemed to lock together like puzzle pieces. Daichi’s mind drifted to times where Suga had fallen asleep on his shoulder on bus rides home or had used his leg as a pillow while watching a movie; somehow, those instances were never quite like this.

“Is he asleep?” Asahi asked, peeking over at Suga’s prone form.

“Yeah,” Daichi responded, followed by a slightly nervous laugh. “I’m gonna feel bad waking him up to leave.”

Asahi remained silent for a moment, appearing to be lost in thought.

“Yeah, it would be nice if we could stay here forever,” Asahi murmured. “But we can’t.” His tone wasn’t sad – if anything, it sounded like Asahi was trying to make a point.

“Mmm.”

“Hey, Daichi?” Asahi’s tone was suddenly a little gentler.

“Yeah?”

A pause.

“You should tell him.”

_What?_ Daichi was confused – _tell who what? Was Asahi talking about_ Suga? _What…What did he need to tell Suga?_

“What do you…What do you mean? I’m not sure I’m following,” Daichi replied, trailing off. His response earned him a heavy sigh from Asahi, who now wore a mildly irritated expression.

“Ah, fine. Maybe you don’t see it yet, or you don’t want to. Honestly, I think you _know_ what I mean, Daichi, but…I don’t know. All I’m saying is don’t wait until it’s too late to say what matters. You’ll regret it.”

“Oh, there you go, getting emotional on me again,” Daichi deflected – however, the humor that would normally characterize his jab was notably replaced by an air of nervousness.

“There’s a time and a place for emotions, man, and it doesn’t always have to be at the end of things. If you wait too long to let yourself feel, you’re going to get hurt. It’s better to do it while you can,” Asahi retorted. His response was completely serious, subduing Daichi into silence. 

They remained silent for a long time, pressing Daichi’s mind to wander.

_I should tell him…tell him what?_

Daichi turned his head to the side, looking down at Suga. The angle was slightly awkward – turning his head made Daichi just about bury his face in Suga’s hair. He didn’t really mind, though. As always, Suga’s hair was soft, and smelled lightly of vanilla. _Just like his house,_ Daichi thought. The smell brought him comfort, like he’d just gotten home after a long day. 

Daichi felt his mouth dry up a bit as he thought about Asahi’s words one more time. “ _You should tell him.”_

Daichi breathed deeply, taking in the smell of home. A singular thought ran through his mind as he was wrapped up in memories of vanilla and laughter.

_I should tell him._

* * *

The second day of the Interhigh had started as a bit of a whirlwind for Suga. While he’d gotten some sleep out in the field, he wasn’t able to fall back asleep for hours once he’d gotten home. Suga recalled checking his phone when he’d been woken up by Daichi – it had been a rude awakening, both in that his comfort blanket (Daichi) had jostled him out of his sleep, as well as the fact that he’d found new messages from his _secret admirer,_ if you could call them that. Suga checked his phone again to see if the person had replied to his last text.

**Unknown:** Are you going to ignore me?

 **Unknown:** Suga?

 **Unknown:** Come on now. Answer

**Suga:** Leave me alone. Seriously.

While Suga would have been thrilled if the person on the other end of the messages heeded his demand, he was pretty sure the odds of that happening were low. However, as of the moment he was sitting on the bus, the person hadn’t yet replied – he took that as a good sign (and hey, there’s never anything wrong with being an optimist!)

Daichi sat next to him, unusually quiet. Suga noted that his friend had seemed lost in thought on the ride home as well, though that could probably be attributed to the fact that it was so late. If Suga had been the one driving, it would have taken everything he had to keep from falling asleep at the wheel. He laughed a little bit – Daichi would have been scared to death if he’d been the one to drive them home.

Daichi’s eyes widened as he heard Suga laugh next to him.

“What’s so funny?” Suga stifled another laugh – Daichi almost looked nervous.

“I was thinking about how scared you are of my driving. Which is so unfair, you know. I bet I could drive this _bus,_ ” Suga replied, adopting a triumphant expression.

Daichi’s face blanched, and for a moment, the captain looked as though he might actually be sick. Suga smiled – he was happy to have been able to break Daichi out of his pensive trance.

“ _God,_ Suga. Don’t even _say_ that. I’d seriously sooner walk to the Interhigh,” Daichi complained.

“Ha! Yeah, I know. Still, I’m thinking about asking if I can drive us home. Maybe I should ask Ukai and Takaeda-sensei about making that a vice-captain duty…”

“Shut _up_ ,” Daichi complained, lightly shoving Suga’s shoulder, “I’d quit. Like actually drop the team mid-match. Don’t test me,” Daichi threatened.

“Pfft, fine, fine, okay. But you’re lucky – it’s only because _the team_ needs you.”

“Yeah, I’m lucky,” Daichi mockingly replied.

Suga was about to drop another sarcastic comment, but Coach Ukai called for Daichi. Suga shooed him out of their seat, urging him to go help with strategy planning, or whatever Ukai wanted him for. As his friend walked away, Suga felt the brief sense of elation from their conversation begin to fade and be replaced with dread. His distraction was gone – Suga suddenly felt trapped with his phone. He checked his lock screen a few times, anxious to see if there were any new messages, but he was met with the same old notifications – another good sign, he told himself. Still, he was struggling to truly believe that. 

Deciding the stress wasn’t worth it, Suga turned his phone off early and stuck it in his bag. Out of sight, out of mind – the day was going to be about volleyball, not mystery texts. Suga steeled his resolve as they pulled up to the facility – no matter what, they were going to win.

* * *

Warmups moved along swiftly. Suga was making an effort to avoid Oikawa’s gaze – the opposing setter smirked every time they locked eyes, and every time, Suga felt his face start to turn red. 

Despite his efforts to avoid Oikawa’s gaze, it seemed like Oikawa’s mission was the exact _opposite._ In serve warmups, _every one_ of Oikawa’s bullet-like serves rocketed to where Suga was standing, forcing Suga to keep an eye on the Seijoh star. Oikawa was definitely toying with him (and thoroughly enjoying it, if you’re going by the look on his face), making Suga wonder just what he’d gotten himself into.

As Karasuno gathered for their pre-game huddle, Suga felt eyes boring into his back. Oikawa was clearly taking this seriously – a wave of nerves and excitement rushed through him. This was going to be a battle _._

“Okay, guys – this is what we’ve been waiting for. Let’s go in there and _win_ this,” Daichi crowed, igniting the fighting spirit of the team.

“Karasuno on three – one, two, three, _KARASUNO!”_

* * *

Oikawa had two goals for the Interhigh semifinals – crush Karasuno and send Kageyama running with his tail between his legs, and crush Karasuno so that Sugawara was honor-bound to go on a date with him.

He’d woken up especially early that morning – he prepped for the _match_ by going for a warm-up run, and he’d prepped for his _personal_ pursuits by showering, fussing over his hair, and planning his course of action for the day. One might think he was a little over the top, but hey – if the flushed look on Suga’s face throughout warmups was any indicator, his plan was _totally_ working.

Once the match had officially started, Oikawa was completely locked in. No more thinking about pretty setters (even when they looked _particularly_ pretty today), unless they were on the court. This was his chance to get to the finals again – Oikawa needed this win.

Oikawa was proud of himself – he was inside of Kageyama’s head almost immediately. He could see the way his influence was making his junior squirm, and he grinned. Kageyama’s lack of mental fortitude meant the whole Karasuno team was crumbling. Thanks to his rather _masterful_ mind games, Aoba Johsai had a shot at a clear lead.

That is, until the scary-looking Karasuno coach made an unexpected call. He was subbing Kageyama out – he hated to relate to Kageyama in any regard, but the shock on the younger setter’s face mirrored the way Oikawa was feeling inside. In Kageyama’s stead, Suga was making his way onto the court.  
  
Oikawa observed the way that Suga immediately lifted the spirits of the Karasuno players. He was overcome with both a sense of awe, as well as a feeling of deja-vu. Oikawa was pulled back into the memory of when he’d first _really_ noticed Suga at the practice match, where he was doing the same exact thing. He clearly had a talent for inspiring his teammates, and when he was doing it, he looked like he really belonged. The way Suga’s face glowed as he cheered for his team made butterflies flutter in Oikawa’s stomach – he wished he could see Suga in that position more. _Just another reason to hate Kageyama_ , he mused.

Oikawa bit his tongue – he needed to ground himself. Suga was special, but he didn’t have time to be focusing on that right now. He peeled his eyes off of the other setter and turned to his team. They were going to win the next point – he wouldn’t go easy just because Suga had joined the fray. If anything, something told him that going easy on Suga would earn him some pretty sharp words.

As the point started, Oikawa could see a marked difference in the play of the opposing team. _He can really change their energy_ , Oikawa thought, _Kageyama doesn’t have that._

Oikawa quickly found out that being refreshing wasn’t Suga’s only skill – he was stunned as Karasuno started their “get lost in the crowd” tactic. Oikawa didn’t know who to block, and then – _SLAM._ The ball collided with the floor on the Seijoh side.

Oikawa slowly tore his eyes from the ground and looked up at Suga, who was already smirking in his direction. The look on the shorter setter’s face seemed to say, ‘ _Didn’t expect that, huh?”_

A smile teased his lips. _Very cheeky, Suga._ Oikawa glared back, so as to say, ‘ _We’ll get you on the next point.’_ He turned away from Suga dramatically, but in truth, he was impressed. Not that it was news to Oikawa, but Suga was _obviously_ more than just a pretty face.

Oikawa made good on his promise, with Seijoh taking the next point. He felt a bit bad – winning the point led to Suga getting subbed out. He didn’t have time to dwell on that, though. Suga’s refreshing nature had reinvigorated the Karasuno team, making them ready to fight again. Thanks to Suga, Oikawa had a lot more to deal with.

For a moment, the image of Suga’s smiling, competitive face lingered in his brain. Oikawa reluctantly shook it off – they had a game to win.

* * *

The final set was way too close for comfort. Suga was nearly biting his nails as each point either plunged them into sudden death or pulled them out of it. He tried his best to keep on cheering for his team – the pressure was unreal, and everyone was feeling it.

Throughout the match, Suga had been able to stay pretty focused on Karasuno’s play. Still, he couldn’t help but spend some time watching Oikawa – he was shocked at the taller setters’ change in demeanor between the times he was on and off the court. Oikawa was 100% dialed in. 

Suga _also_ couldn’t help but admire the way that Oikawa seemed to dominate the space, even while Seijoh was down. He hated to admit it, but he kind of like when Oikawa won a point on a great play. Oikawa’s eyes burned with passion, and he looked incredibly strong. After a few particularly impressive plays, Oikawa had glanced his way – Suga would never say it, but those looks _definitely_ made his knees weak.

Still – that didn’t mean Suga was ready to give this match up. No, far from it. Suga would push for a Karasuno win to the very end – it was his dream, his _friends’_ dream – he wasn’t going to let that go.

“Come on Kageyama, Hinata! You’ve got this!” Suga cheered as energetically as he could – Seijoh was one point away from winning.

He held his breath as the sound of the starting whistle rang through the air. _Slap –_ the serve was over. Daichi passed the ball cleanly to Kaegayma. _Nice, Daichi!_ One hit, and it was back to Aoba Johsai. A clean bump, set, and spike sent the ball back to Karasuno, where Noya made a perfect dig. The tension made Suga feel like he was going to pass out.

Suga smiled as he saw Kageyama’s plan – they were going to use the “get lost in the crowd” tactic, which was good. It was probably their strongest offensive technique, which was why he used it when he’d been on the court. This is going to work, they had this- 

_SLAM._

The ball was blocked cleanly, slamming to the floor on their side. For a moment, Suga’s eyes were glued to the ground. As his jaw dropped open, one thought ran through his mind.

_We lost._

Slowly, he lifted his gaze from the floor to the other side of the net. Still wrapped in a stupor, his eyes were met by a triumphant Oikawa. The taller setter had a slightly crazed look on his face and was grinning from ear to ear. Suga felt his mouth dry up as he processed what this meant.

_Shit._

* * *

Daichi couldn’t quite place the feeling of losing the semifinal. It was something between physical pain and a fast-onset depression; and yet, Suga was buzzing around, helping his teammates. Daichi tried to imitate his friend, but he couldn’t quite capture his energy. He wasn’t as good, he supposed.

Daichi exited the bathroom, having taken a moment to compose himself on his own. He liked to be there for his team, but he needed to be able to put up a strong front for them right now – if they saw him breaking down, the last fiber of their morale would have been snapped. So, he’d gone and splashed some water on his face, taken a few deep breaths, and gotten his head together. 

He was ready to rejoin his team, but on his way out he ran into none other than _Oikawa_. They nearly collided, making Daichi jump back into the bathroom a bit (seriously, what’s up with this guy and bathrooms?) He groaned internally – he would have no choice but to go through the pleasantries of speaking to the other captain.

“Oikawa-,” he said, bowing slightly, “Congratulations on your win. Your team played well.”

Clearing his throat, Oikawa wiped a look of shock off of his face – clearly, he hadn’t expected to see Daichi, either. “Thank you, Sawamura-san. The same to your team. You were worthy adversaries.”

“Thank you.”

There was an awkward pause, and Daichi attempted to leave again. Before he could make it out of the door, however, Oikawa spoke up one more time.

“Say, I understand that I’m probably not your _favorite_ person, but I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something,” Oikawa started. “Next Sunday, I’m running a volleyball class for middle schoolers in the district – would you be interested in helping out? I thought it might be nice to get some representation from different schools in the area.”

Daichi was silent for a moment – he didn’t like Oikawa; the opposing captain had gotten that much right. The way Oikawa had asked the question was weird, too; his tone was overly polite, so much so that Daichi almost felt suspicious. Still, Daichi wasn’t one to refuse an opportunity to teach volleyball. No matter how odd Oikawa was, or how much Daichi hated him, he knew the kids would appreciate him being there.

“Oh yeah, I can probably help – where and when? Should I bring any equipment, or any other members of my team?”

Oikawa’s face lit up at Daichi’s response. “Incredible! You’re a lifesaver, really. It’s going to be a two-hour clinic, next Sunday in Sendoh park at 1:00 pm. The group I’m working with has all the equipment we’ll need, so don’t worry about that. And just you is _perfect_! We’ll have a few people from different teams,” Oikawa purred.

Daichi nodded. “Okay, great. Happy to help.”  
  
An unreadable expression crossed Oikawa’s face – Daichi felt a bad taste appear in his mouth. He still wasn’t a fan of this guy.

“Thank you, Sawamura-san, I’ll see you in a week!” Oikawa’s singsong voice rang in the acoustics of the bathroom as he started to pass Daichi.

Not feeling like speaking to the taller captain any further, Daichi nodded and took his leave. He couldn’t shake something of an unpleasant feeling about the interaction, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. His team needed him, and he didn’t want to leave the burden of caring for them all on Suga.

* * *

Suga spent a significant part of the post-game trying to cheer his teammates up. He was sad, too – but something about seeing his team so dejected made him jump into action. It was too early for inspiring words, but he was able to help his team by getting them anything they needed.

Suga was on his way to the snack bar to get Kageyama and Hinata some energy drinks, and he could feel an increasing number of eyes on him. The audience from the match was filing out of the gym – many of them clearly recognized his jersey and sent pitying glances his way. A few people patted his back or said things like “good game,” but the majority of people just sent those sad looks. While Suga understood where they were coming from, he didn’t like it. The stares made him feel _weak_ , which he’d decided was the worst feeling in the world.

When Suga got to the snack bar, he was surprised by how long the line was. Despite the day being over, a number of players and fans were waiting to order crappy concessions stand food. Sighing, he got into the back of the line.

After waiting for a moment, he realized there was a presence next to him. Suddenly remembering that he had a _stalker_ at the event, Suga flinched. However, he internally kicked himself when he saw who was standing beside him – Oikawa. His breath caught in his throat; somehow, even though he _should_ be upset with the other setter for beating his team, Suga found himself to be a little bit excited to see him.

Suga opened his mouth to say something, but Oikawa beat him to it.

“Erm – hey. Nice match, Suga. Really.”

Suga’s mouth snapped shut – he was a bit surprised with Oikawa’s genuine tone. He wasn’t sure of _what exactly_ he’d expected from Oikawa, but a part of him thought it would be more akin to gloating than praise. Suga smiled – underneath all the fanfare, Oikawa was…nice. 

“Thanks, Oikawa,” Suga replied, his smile growing slightly, “you too. Your team really is impressive.”

Oikawa’s eyes lit up at the compliment – clearly, he was as proud of his team as expected. Suga thought about the fact that Oikawa probably cared about his team as much as Suga cared about Karasuno.

“Thanks, Suga,” Oikawa replied with a smile. He flicked his eyes up to the snack bar menu and made a face. “Are you sure you wanna eat this stuff? Everything they have back there looks like ten years old.” Suga laughed at the absent look on Oikawa’s face – the taller setter was clearly _genuinely_ concerned about Suga’s taste.

“No, no, I agree – everything looks pretty bad. I’m just getting energy drinks for me, Kageyama, and Hinata. They’re totally worn out for _some reason,”_ Suga said, emphasizing his point with a pointed look at Oikawa, “So I’m getting them a little refresher. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t touch anything they have back there.”

“Psh – I thought they’d _never_ run out of energy. Like, seriously, where does it end? I know for _sure_ that I wasn’t like that as first-year,” Oikawa said, half-complaining, half-joking.

Suga laughed – he definitely understood where Oikawa was coming from. “I know, right? Seriously, you should see them at practice. This is what it’s like _every day._ They’re really something else. _”_

Oikawa was quiet for a moment, before speaking again.

“They’re impressive, sure, but you have something that Kageyama doesn’t. It’s really too bad you’re not on another team; you could have been a star in your own right,” Oikawa said wistfully. Realizing that his praise may have come off more like an insult, he began to stumble through an apology. “Sorry – I didn’t mean to say, ah, like you’re still-”

“Don’t worry, Oikawa,” Suga said, cutting off Oikawa’s rambling, “I know what you mean. I’m not offended – it’s actually _really_ nice to hear someone say that,” Suga said, smiling as sweetly as he could muster.

Suga swore he could see a blush rising to Oikawa’s cheeks. The taller setter matched Suga’s smile, and it took everything he had to force down a blush of his own. _Deep breaths, Suga_! He was ripped out of his mild swooning by a loud voice in front of them.

“ _NEXT!_ ”

Suga jumped, realizing it was his turn to order. He fumbled for his wallet, but Oikawa stepped in front of him.

“Hi, can I have four energy drinks?”

“Sure, hon, what color?”

“Suga, what color?”

Suga was stunned for a second – Oikawa didn’t need to buy the drinks for him! But if he had to pick a color, it would be…

“Uh...Red!”

Oikawa turned back to the employee, an ultra-friendly smile plastered on his face.

“Red.”

“You got it – that’ll be 700 yen.”  
  
Oikawa pulled out a few bills and handed them to the worker in exchange for the drinks. He bowed slightly and accepted them and turned to hand three to Suga.

Suga felt his face heat up a little bit – he didn’t need Oikawa to buy him stuff, but something about the gesture made his heart race. Still, even though he _really_ didn’t mind being a little pampered, he wasn’t going to ignore it.

“Thanks, but you really didn’t have to do that. Besides, didn’t you hear me? One of these is going to _Kageyama,_ ” Suga emphasized the last word, scrunching his face up to be as angry as he could muster. It must have looked funny, though, because Oikawa smiled like he was looking at an upset child. Or a pug.

“Consider it an _apology_ for destroying you guys today,” Oikawa replied in a velvety voice.

Suga scoffed. “As _if!_ You can _not_ call that ‘destroying,’ we literally almost won!” Suga punctuated his rebuttal with a little shove, earning him a laugh from Oikawa. Suga felt his heart race a bit as he contacted the taller setter, despite being the one to initiate.

“Woah, aggressive, aren’t we,” Oikawa said with a hint of his classic smirk. “Maybe we didn’t _destroy_ you, but we’ll call it an apology regardless. Really, I know what it feels like to lose when you’re that close,” Oikawa said, his voice softening.

“Anyway – I don’t want to hold you up, but…,” Oikawa started, suddenly appearing nervous, “I know now might not be the best time, since the, uh, _results_ of the match are pretty fresh, but I just wanted check….I’m sure you remember our agreement yesterday, and I was wondering if you were planning on sticking to the, um, terms?”

Suga’s mouth dropped open – was this the same person he’d run into a few weeks prior? Was it the same person that had just dominated the volleyball court in front of hundreds of adoring fans? No – it couldn’t be – _this ­_ Oikawa was a stuttering mess. Suga’s heart just about burst at the version of the man in front of him; it was _maybe_ the cutest thing he’d ever seen.

“Don’t worry, Oikawa, I plan on _sticking to the terms,_ ” Suga said, a smirk rising to his lips. He was enjoying the feeling of having the upper hand in a conversation with Oikawa. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper that he’d prepared for this exact instance.

“While I didn’t think we’d lose, I knew it was a possibility. So, I came prepared – here,” Suga said, handing Oikawa the slip. 

A grin rose to Oikawa’s face – his confidence clearly being restored.

“Great, yeah, no – I knew you’d keep your word. Totally. Totally.”  
  
Suga laughed again. _Nerd._

“Yeah, _sure._ Anyway, I have to get back to the team. Thanks for the drinks, Oikawa, and good luck in the final,” Suga said, beginning to walk away.

“Psh – we won’t need _luck,_ ” Oikawa joked. “But thanks. See you soon, Suga,” Oikawa said, tossing in a wink. 

Suga laughed – something about Oikawa’s attempt at flirting after being _so_ anxious was comical. He rolled his eyes and mouthed “ _text me”_ before turning away. 

Once he got back to the team, he had to force himself to stop smiling. He did _not_ want to explain that the (attractive, funny, caring) Seijoh captain was responsible for his stupid grin.

* * *

Oikawa watched Suga walk away from him in awe – he knew that everything had gone according to plan, so _of course_ things had worked out, but he couldn’t quite believe it. Every time he interacted with Suga, he felt himself wanting to be around him more and more. Their interactions seemed to pass by in a whirlwind – he was _so_ excited for their date. Finally, he would have the chance to spend some real time with Suga! Excitedly, he unfolded the note in his hands.

**_My number: xxx-xxx-xxxx_ **

**_Don’t make me wait too long!!_ **

\- **_Suga_ :)**

Oikawa bit his tongue in an effort to stop himself from breaking out into a ridiculous grin (he failed – he was standing in the middle of the hallway smiling like an idiot.) He reread the paper a few times, almost memorizing the number, and _definitely_ memorizing the message. His day couldn’t get any better – in that moment, Oikawa Tooru was genuinely convinced that his heart was going to burst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the chapter! I originally wasn't going to include the first section with Daichi, but it honestly thought it was too important and cute to leave out! It didn't really fit in the last chapter either tbh, so this is what we're dealing with. I really liked writing that part, as well as the last section with Suga and Oikawa - honestly, the middle part with the game wasn't my favorite to write since it's in like EVERY Oisuga fic, but I also felt like I had to write it because it's in EVERY Oisuga fic. I tried to spice it up for you guys, but sorry if it was boring! There shouldn't be too much more of that, since they don't have any more scripted interactions.
> 
> I'm really looking forward to what's next! Drop kudos/comments with your thoughts, so many of you left amazing comments on the last chapter. Thank you, everyone, for all the support! Until next chapter! <3


	8. Cicadas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo! I'm not dead :,) Pls enjoy the chapter I'll see you in the end of chapter notes ;)

Chapter 8

Suga sat at the bus stop, looking at his hands. His eyes were drawn to the callouses he’d built over years of setting, and a faint smudge of ink that adorned his palm. The ink had crept into the tiny crevices of his skin, which had pulled the words in wayward directions and washed away their meaning. He strained his memory, but he couldn’t recall what had been so urgent as to make him write it down on his hand. It must not have really mattered.

Suga ran his fingers over his callouses. He reveled in the way it felt to push the tough skin around; it made the softer skin on his palm stretch and grow taught, while the callous remained thick and stiff. The distinction between the two regions was proof he’d been setting for the last three years. Proof that he’d _done_ something.

An unpleasant thought had been growing in the back of his mind, but he’d done his best to force it off. However, with nothing else to entertain him but his own thoughts, Suga was faced with an ugly truth. He’d given up the starting spot he’d worked so hard for, only for the team to lose _anyway._ That much had become clear to him, and it stung. It was why he was sitting at the bus stop on his own, instead of taking up Daichi’s offer of a ride home. He needed some space to process his growing bitterness.

The sour taste in his mouth had been building in the hours since the end of the match. Team dinner was a somber affair, with everyone else managing similar degrees of regret. Coach Ukai and Takeda Sensei had seen it fit to give them a few days off, which Suga greatly appreciated. Still, that wasn’t enough to stop unhappiness from pooling in his chest. Daichi had insisted they ride home together, but Suga didn’t want him to know how disappointed he really was. It hadn’t really hit him until they’d left, so he wanted to maintain the strong front he’d been able to put up for the team. They needed someone to look put-together right now, even if it was hard. Even if it had to be him.

Daichi hadn’t been thrilled with Suga’s refusal, but he understood why he wanted to be alone. If anyone could see through Suga’s façade, it was Daichi (which was both a blessing and a curse, in Suga’s opinion.) His friend had one stipulation for letting him go on his own – to text when he was at the bus stop - which he remembered suddenly. Pulling out his phone, Suga searched for his conversation with Daichi.

**Suga:** At the bus stop. Not dead. (Yet.)

A few moments passed before he could see Daichi typing.

**Daichi:** That’s great. Text me if you make it home alive, too.

**Suga:** Will do

 **Suga:** And no texting and driving! >:0

**Daichi:** I’m already home. You would be too if you would just let me drive you.

 **Daichi:** I get it, though. You need space – just message when home

Suga smiled – it was nice to have his boundaries respected. Maybe it was just for a second, but some of his earlier bitterness dissolved. (Seriously, it was like one second. A half second, even.)

Suga placed his phone back on the bench, taking in just how alone he was. The street was completely isolated, on top of being poorly lit. A smattering of streetlights drew fuzzy, yellow circles on the pavement; everywhere else was filled with murky darkness. The moon peered out from behind the clouds, but was only slightly larger than the night before. Its light was too weak to reveal anything about his surroundings, but at least his question from the night before had been answered; the moon was waxing.

Suga could hear farther than he could see – buried in the darkness behind the streetlights and distant buildings, cicadas created a late-summer cacophony. It was so loud, he could have sworn the bugs were swarming around his head; his better judgement and available range of vision argued otherwise.

The cicada song at the end of summer was an annual rhythm Suga had grown quite familiar with. In truth, he found it unpleasant. It sounded desperate; painful, even. It was like they were crying ‘ _it’s over, it’s over, it’s over…’_ Suga wondered if they knew that they would starve and die over the next few weeks; if they had some kind of eerie intuition of their own impending doom. If cicadas could predict their own deaths, Suga thought, could humans? He’d never heard of anyone who predicted their own death on a feeling like that, but maybe nobody had ever lived to tell the tale. Maybe once you know you’re going to die, your fate is sealed. Or maybe he was being dramatic. Suga hoped to never find out.

Distant headlights flooded the shadowed street, urging Suga to gather his bags. If he missed the bus, he’d have to spend another thirty minutes sitting around thinking about cicadas and failure, which (believe it or not) weren’t his favorite topics to dwell on. He used his sleeve to dab at his eyes – at some point in time that he couldn’t quite place, tears had started to form and roll down his cheeks. As he boarded the bus, he made a point of not making eye contact with the driver or other passengers in defense of his (currently feeble) pride.

He settled into an empty row at the front of the bus – his route wasn’t very popular on a Sunday evening, which Suga was grateful for. He was able to spread his things out without worrying about cramming everything into the seat with him. Suga rested his head against the window and watched the scenery shift and break into darkness, only to be put back together again when they passed under a streetlamp.

_Buzz._

The sound pulled Suga out of his reverie – maybe Oikawa was messaging him? This soon? He couldn’t suppress a smirk; it hadn’t even been three hours. If Oikawa was _already_ texting him, he totally had the upper hand here –

Oh.

Of course, that wasn’t it.

Suga grimaced as he read the message that appeared on his screen.

**Unknown:** Hi Suga :)

Mother _fuck._ Suga could _not_ think of a worse thing that could have happened in that moment; he had been too immersed in his own wallowing to even _remember_ that this was an issue. The sick feeling he’d had before came back almost instantaneously.

**Unknown:** I’m sorry you didn’t win today. I could have cried

 **Unknown:** You’re still hot when you’re sad you know ;)

Suga gritted his teeth through his growing nausea – this person had picked the wrong day to mess with him. He didn’t think twice before messaging back.

**Suga:** I tried to be nice but you literally can’t take a fucking hint

 **Suga:** Don’t bother messaging me again. You’re blocked.

The person on the other end of the conversation immediately started typing, but Suga didn’t want to read what they were going to say. He blocked them before they had the chance to message him back, and he felt an instant wave of relief. At least that was one less bad thing in his life. Now all he had to think about was his three years of work culminating in jack shit.

_Buzz_

Was _that_ Oikawa? To be honest, he wasn’t really even in the mood to flirt anymore. He opened the new notification and stared at it in disbelief. How was that possible?

**Unknown:** AW :,) blocking me won’t work

The number was completely new, down to the area code - but _clearly_ the texter was the same. Did this person seriously have _more than one phone to text him?_ Whatever relief he had felt was instantly replaced by an intense wave of dread.

How was that _possible_? It didn’t make sense. Suga couldn’t wrap his brain around the concept – _two phones?_ They must be insane; A crazy person was _stalking him_. A crazy person who bought two phones so Suga couldn’t block them.

He tried his best to calm himself down – yes, this was crazy, and weird, and his stalker had horrible timing, but the solution was simple. He could just block the new number.

Suga immediately did just that. He slowed down his breathing, closed his eyes, and tried to ground himself by focusing on the feeling of the bus’s engine rumbling throughout the vehicle.

_Buzz._

“Fuck!”

Some of the other passengers turned their heads to look at the 18 year-old who was swearing out loud on a public bus (at 8 pm on a Sunday, no less.) Suga, for his part, didn’t notice their reactions at all.

Against his better judgement, Suga looked at his phone.

It was a message from Daichi.

Suga let out an involuntary laugh – Daichi had picked the least opportune moment to text; it was like the universe was playing a prank on him.

**Daichi:** You home yet?

 **Daichi:** Asahi wants to go to a café tomorrow since we don’t have practice. Do you want to come?

Suga took a moment to compose himself, making an effort to respond as normally as possible.

**Suga:** Not home yet. Patience is a virtue, Daichi.

 **Suga:** And maybe. I’ll let you know how I feel tomorrow

The rest of the drive felt as though it had lasted hours, but in reality, it had been an additional fifteen or so minutes. Suga considered himself thoroughly exhausted; he would have been dead-tired just after the excitement of the game and talking to Oikawa again, but the events of the last ten minutes had stolen his last reserves of energy. Nothing in the world seemed more enticing than his bed.

He stood by the door, holding his bags – they somehow seemed ten times heavier than they had been when he’d boarded. Suga was flipping through his phone, trying to stay awake for the last few minutes of the ride. Suddenly, a banner appeared at the top of his screen that read:

**Unknown:** You can’t block me, stop trying to do that

 **Unknown:** It was cute at first, but now it’s making me mad. You don’t want to piss me off, Suga.

 **Unknown:** You’re going to have to talk to me :,)

Suga didn’t answer the messages – instead, he placed the phone into his pocket. He didn’t remember doing that, and he didn’t remember his feet hitting the sidewalk as he disembarked the bus. The one thing he _did_ remember from those few moments, if only because of the faint taste of bile in his mouth, was a sensation of extreme numbness, and the experience of vomiting his dinner onto the concrete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok hi everyone! Soooo it's been a HOT minute. I've been super busy lately; started a new job, and I still have a bunch of other commitments, so this got a little bit away from me. ("a little bit" bitch its been two and a half months) Oops.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like the chapter! It was kind of hard to write, because I wanted this chapter and next chapter to all be one part, but that's just not realistic for me to produce bc it would be like 6k+ words. However if this seems like kind of an odd interlude, that's because this is supposed to be part of a larger section of the story. The next few sections/chapters will flow well together too, though, so I'm not worried! I had fun doing some of the detail writing for this, and it's like a signal flare to the readers that this fic's not dead.
> 
> Note that the multiple phone thing has its foundations in something that makes sense; I won't specify beyond that, but I just wanted you to know that that's not like just stupid writing or something lol!
> 
> Also to my loyal readers! Your comments inspire me to write :) thank you to everyone that checked in over the past few months, it made me super happy to see. I love you guys, you're part of what makes this fun! I made a blog on Tumblr which is just @Sugasyeezys to post updates on when I plan for the next chapter to come out/if there's any...*ahem*...hold ups.. or anything like that. Give it a follow if you're looking for more real-time updates on the story status :,)
> 
> Side note - while I have no intention of discontinuing this fic (I have big dreams for it!) if I ever decide to kill it, I'll post an update saying so. Emphasis on the fact that this is just a PSA, and not something I'm planning on. This is also so if I ever take this long to update again, you can have confidence that this is not dead, I'm just slow!
> 
> As always, please drop kudos and comment! Kudos and comments make my day hehe :,)

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first chapter! It's a little short - I want to generally make chapters at least 2000 words (nothing worse than clicking on a fic and there's just not enough!) but since this is an intro chapter, I think it's hovering closer to 1600 or 1700 words. The next chapter is coming soon! I have a significant portion done. I hope to update this at least once a week, usually on Sunday afternoons (EST); bear with me if things are a little late though. I do be a college student with two jobs....but the burn to write fanfiction persists!
> 
> Please drops kudos and comments if you like this! Please drop comments if you hate it! We stan constructive criticism. Until next time!


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